


The Golden Wolf Warrior

by AgentAyu



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-25 11:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 42,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3809212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentAyu/pseuds/AgentAyu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if The Fire Nation royal family was over thrown while Zuko and Azula were children? Ursa, Iroh, and Zuko manage to escape to Ba Sing Se, but Azula wound up at the Southern Water Tribe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, except all the characters that were not in the series and this story. 
> 
> Cross posted on FF.Net and this is the Redux version.

It all happened so fast. Their beloved country, the royal family had fallen. What scared the Imperial Firebenders the most was that the coup was led by a general of the Fire Nation army. Why would the general betray his country and Fire Lord?

Many questions passed through all the crewmen's minds. But the biggest question was how their youngest passenger was coping with the tragic events. Everyone was concerned for the child because she was their princess.

The Fire Nation princess hadn't said a word since they left the Fire Nation going southbound. If it weren't for the ship's captain the princess would probably still be in her designated cabin.

A week has passed since the coup and they were starting to get low on supplies. The ship's captain currently had herself and the princess in the kitchen to keep warm and to hopefully get the princess to eat something.

"Please princess, eat something." The captain practically begged. "Lu Ten wouldn't want you to starve."

All the princess did was slowly shake her head. She wasn't being bratty she wasn't hungry.

"Captain Mizuki."

Captain Mizuki took her attention off the princess and on one of her soldiers. "Yes?"

"If I may suggest. I think it is wise if we stop addressing her as 'princess'. I mean no disrespect, but it is a matter of her safety."

"Yes, I agree. Please go round up everyone, they all need to hear this." Captain Mizuki ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am!" The soldier bowed before running out of the kitchen.

"Princess, please understand from this point on no one will address you by your title for your safety. We promised Prince Lu Ten we would keep you safe."

All Azula could do was nod. The mention of her cousin's name triggered the memory of the prince's death.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula somehow got separated from her mother and brother. There was chaos throughout the palace. She didn't know what was happening. Parts of her home were in flames and there was smoke everywhere. She could barely keep her eyes open.

"Azula get down!" Lu Ten shouted as he pushed Azula and himself to the ground as a fireball flew over them.

"Lu?" Azula questioned weakly.

"Don't worry Azula, I'll protect you. We need to get out of here!"

Carefully but as quickly as possible Lu Ten kept Azula close to the ground away from fire and smoke. They were close to the palace entrance when Lu Ten heard something behind them.

"Quick, hide behind the pillar." Lu Ten gently guided his cousin behind one of the many entrance pillars. "Stay quiet and don't move."

Lu Ten quietly stood up to look around the pillar to see who was following them. Once the follower was close enough, he jumped out from behind the pillar and fired a fireball.

"Prince Lu Ten, wait!" a female pleaded as she deflected the fireball.

"Captain Mizuki?" Lu Ten questioned.

Mizuki got closer to Lu Ten. "Prince Lu Ten, General Iroh sent me to find you and Princess Azula when you two were separated from them."

"Oh that's great. Now I need your help to get to the harbor." Lu Ten started to explain.

"But, Prince Lu Ten, that's at the bottom of the volcano!"

"I know, but the closer we are to the harbor, the closer we'll get to safety. Azula, grab my hand."

Azula did what Lu Ten told her to and was suddenly pulled to her feet. Mizuki struggled to open the palace front doors, but had trouble due to its size. Lu Ten let go of Azula's hand and helped the captain.

Just as the door began to pry open, fireballs started blasting through the front door.

"Damn it! How could I forget they started attacking from the front?" Lu Ten cursed, as he and Mizuki pushed the doors shut.

Once they door was completely shut all three of them began running away from the entrance. As they ran past the throne room, Azula grabbed hold of Lu Ten's hand causing him to stop running.

"What is it Azula?"

"Lu, there's a secret door in Grandpa's throne room!" Azula exclaimed.

"What? Are you sure?" Lu Ten knelt down to his cousin's height.

"Yes, Zuzu and I accidently found it when we were hiding from Grandpa. We were playing there and didn't want to get in trouble. It leads just outside the palace gates!"

Still holding Lu Ten's hand, all three of them ran into the Fire Lord's throne room. Once they entered Azula let go of her cousin's hand and ran to the wall below the throne.

"See the fire symbol Lu. All you have to do is fire bend and the secret door opens." Azula said proudly.

"Oh really that's great!" Lu Ten said happily.

Azula quickly took a firebending stance and fired a fireball at the Fire Nation insignia. After a few seconds there was a shift and the secret door exposed itself.

Suddenly Lu Ten, Azula, and Miyuki heard clapping behind them. They turned around and saw the general who was leading the coup.

"General Akuzo! How dare you betray your Fire Lord, your country?" Lu Ten exclaimed.

"Your family has been at this war for nearly a hundred years. We are nowhere close to conquering the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. I think it's time for a new Fire Lord. I will finish this war much faster than Fire Lord Azulon would." General Akuzo explained. "Soldiers. Get the Prince and Princess and kill them."

Soldiers came out from behind the pillars of the throne room. Mizuki and Lu Ten quickly knocked out the soldiers near them with more charging at them. Lu Ten knew there was no way they could fight all of them and get away safely.

"Mizuki, help me make a firewall!"

Both Lu Ten and Mizuki dropped into a horse stance and raised their arms creating a huge firewall across the throne room separating themselves from the general and his soldiers and the secret passage.

"Mizuki." Lu Ten said quietly so Azula wouldn't hear him.

"Yes, Prince Lu Ten."

"Take Azula and get as far away from the Fire Nation as possible."

"Prince Lu Ten, I must object. You and the princess must be saved. I took an oath as an Imperial Firebender to protect the royal family." Mizuki argued.

"You also took an oath to obey us. This is an order! I'm going to try and stall them. Take her to a safe place where she won't be found. Now go!" Lu Ten shouted as he pushed the firewall towards the soldiers and general.

Mizuki broke from her stance and grabbed Azula. "Come with me princess."

"No, what about Lu Ten? We can't leave him." Azula screamed while trying to get out of Mizuki's grasp.

The last thing Azula saw was soldiers breaking through the firewall and started attacking Lu Ten.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

There were many Fire Nation soldiers guarding ships from leaving the ports. Mizuki was hiding in an abandoned house near the harbor. From where she and Azula were they could still see smoke coming from Caldera City. While in the abandoned house Mizuki grabbed an old ragged curtain and made it into a poncho to drape over Azula's royal clothes so they wouldn't be spotted as easily.

"Captain Mizuki." Azula said quietly.

"Yes, princess?"

"What's going to happen now?" Azula grabbed the captain's hand.

"I'm not sure princess. I need to find a crew so we can run a ship to get you out of here. But, I don't know who we can trust." Mizuki explained.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Mizuki grabbed Azula and hid her behind a big plant pot. There was another knock as Mizuki was alert as the intruder entered the abandoned house.

"Mizuki." The intruder whispered.

"Prince Lu Ten!"

True enough it was Prince Lu Ten. "Mizuki, where's Azula?"

"Lu?" Azula said as she came out of her hiding spot.

"Good you're both safe. C'mon quickly I need to get you to the safe house. Azula, get on my back." Lu Ten said as he knelt down in front of his cousin.

Azula climbed onto Lu Ten's back and the three of them quietly left the abandoned house sneaking their way closer and closer to the ports where the Fire Nation ships were ported. Just as they were about to enter the first point before they reached the safe house a soldier stopped them.

"Excuse me the town is under locked down. Ordered by General Akuzo."

"We're sorry sir, we didn't know. My sisters and I just came back from camping." Lu Ten said quickly. "We saw the smoke at Caldera City and thought it'd be best if we returned home."

"Very well hurry on home before I have to arrest you."

With that Lu Ten and Mizuki quickly walked away from the soldier until they were out of his sight. Once they couldn't see him Lu Ten sprinted as fast as he could with Mizuki closely behind him.

Lu Ten did an unusual knocking pattern on one of the doors. Someone opened the door slightly. "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Lu Ten replied.

The door opened wide enough to allow all three of them in. "It's an honor to meet you Prince Lu Ten. We're sorry to hear what has happened." The man said.

"Thank you. Is there any word on what happened to my aunt, cousin, and father?"

"We're sorry your highness we haven't heard anything. But we are loyal to Prince Iroh and will protect you and Princess Azula. Please have some tea while I get my wife."

Azula got off of Lu Ten's back and took a seat next to him on the ground where the zen table was. Mizuki poured the hot tea for all three of them and took in the warmth of the tea. Azula and Lu Ten did the same. Even though all three of them were firebenders they couldn't feel any warmth in their hands with the horror of what was happening to them.

"Hello, my name is Ming. Zen tells me you're Prince Iroh's son and niece. It is an honor to meet you."

"Thank you. It's an honor to meet those who are loyal to my father especially with what has happened tonight." Lu Ten said before taking a sip of his tea. "Hmm, white jade tea!"

Ming laughed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know your teas. Being Prince Iroh's son. Zen and I need you three to lay low until we know we're cleared to take you to the next safe point before we can get you and Princess Azula out of the Fire Nation."

"How long do you think that will be? I would really appreciate getting my cousin out of the Fire Nation as quickly as possible. I can wait longer if needed. Azula is top priority." Lu Ten replied.

"We understand Prince Lu Ten. But we are going to try and get the two of you out at the same time." Zen replied as he took a seat at the table.

"Whom are we waiting on?" Mizuki asked.

"Admiral Jeong Jeong."

"Jeong Jeong is helping us! That's great, he and dad are good friends." Lu Ten said happily.

Azula looked back and forth between Zen and Ming, and Lu Ten and Mizuki. She kind of understood what was happening, but not sure who are the people her cousin was talking about except for her uncle. She took a sip of her tea not knowing what else to do, but stay quiet.

"Here let me get some more tea and something for us to eat. Would you mind Oolong?" Ming asked.

"Oolong will be fine." Lu Ten said.

"I'll help you dear." Zen stood up to go help his wife.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next thing Azula knew, Lu Ten was waking her up. She didn't realize she fell asleep after eating. "Lu?"

"We have to go Azula. Everything is in order for us to escape." Lu Ten got down in front of Azula for her to get on his back again.

Azula climbed on quickly. "Zen will guide you to the next safe point. From there Admiral Jeong Jeong will help you guys escape out of the Fire Nation." Ming explained as she carefully looked outside to check if it was clear.

"Thank you so much. Your courage and help will be repaid." Lu Ten said as he followed Zen out of the house.

"We're going to have to move quickly and quietly. The town is still under lockdown." Zen explained after Ming closed the door. "This way."

Zen quickly guided the three fugitives through shadowy parts of the town where guards were not patrolling closer to the ports.

Finally they got near a house that Zen firebended the fire of a nearby lantern to blow out. When he made sure the coast was clear he walked up to the house's door and knocked it in a specific pattern.

There was a pause before the door open and the four of them were rushed in. Before the door closed, Azula saw the man shoot a small flame towards the lantern to lighten it again. The same man firebended all except one of the candles to lose their flames as well.

"Admiral Jeong Jeong, it's an honor to meet you." Lu Ten said as he bowed to the admiral.

"It is an honor to meet you as well Prince Lu Ten. Princess Azula." Jeong Jeong replied. "Please sit. There is a lot that needs to be explained in a short amount of time."

The three fugitives were seated once again in front of a table drinking tea. "Lu, what's with all these people and giving us tea?"

Lu Ten laughed softly. "It's a good way to calm the nerves, especially with what we've been going through. Also it never hurts to drink tea with strangers. As dad says, "Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights.""

"That does sound like Uncle." Azula said before taking a sip of her tea. "Hmm, it's jasmine tea this time."

"Now that you're all settled. I should first tell you we would not be able to take you to Ba Sing Se, which was where we were planning to take you originally. We're going to take you to the Southern Water Tribe."

"There's no way the Water Tribe will allow us to step foot in their village." Mizuki argued.

"That's why when you get there you must surrender yourselves. Gain their trust, with what's happened tonight I know no one in my crew will think of fighting them. My men and women are loyal to Fire Lord Azulon and his bloodline. The objective is to keep Prince Lu Ten and Princess Azula safe." There was no room for argument.

"Also if we can gain the Water Tribe's trust there is a chance that there will be unity in the world again. We the Fire Nation had dishonored ourselves by starting the war. We need to work with our opposite to restore peace. You will leave before day break." Jeong Jeong concluded.

"Day break is going to be here shortly." Lu Ten said as he looked out the window.

"You three had better prepare yourselves. Captain Mizuki, this letter is for you. The letter will tell the crew I had assembled for the three of you to follow your orders." Jeong Jeong handed the sealed letter to the Captain.

"But how did you know I was with the prince and princess?" Mizuki asked.

"We have people we trust who pass word around quickly even during times like these." Jeong Jeong replied while staring at Azula.

Everyone stayed quiet waiting for Jeong Jeong to tell them when they were going to leave. Azula leaned up against Lu Ten feeling tired and needed comfort this was too much for her.

The sky was starting to turn a dark purple gradually to a light purple. "It's time to go." Jeong Jeong said as he opened the door. "Quickly."

All three of them quickly got up from their seats and follow Jeong Jeong. They were close a small ship from the house they were at. "That's the ship you will be taking. We need to get you on before guards come around her for their patrol."

Just as they reached the gangplank to the ship a huge firewall blocked their way causing them to jump.

"Well, well, well. Admiral Jeong Jeong, I'm surprised you would betray your own country." Akuzo said as he and a few of his firebending soldiers walked out from their hiding place.

"It is not I who betrayed my country General Akuzo. You betrayed your country when you killed your Fire Lord and Prince Ozai." Jeong Jeong retorted.

"No, daddy's dead." Azula whispered to herself as she grabbed hold of her cousin's hand.

"That's Fire Lord Akuzo."

"You will never be my Fire Lord." With that Jeong Jeong started attacking the soldiers. "Get on the ship!"

Lu Ten held onto Azula's had tightly as he ran towards the gangplank with Mizuki close behind him. Just as they reached the edge of the gangplank Azula tripped, that was all Akuzo needed to attack the three fugitives.

Seeing the huge fireball aimed towards his cousin, Lu Ten jumped over Azula and tried to block the fire, but failed as the fireball broke through and hit him scare on the chest.

Azula thought everything had frozen around her as she saw her cousin fall in front of her and let out a horrific scream.

"LU TEN!" Azula shouted as she grabbed hold of him trying to think of what she could do to help, but it was too late for the prince.

"Azula, I'm… so-sorry." Was all Lu Ten could say before closing his eyes to never wake up again.

Azula began to cry mixing her cousin's blood with her tears. Mizuki grabbed Azula and ran up the gangplank as other firebenders from the ship came down and helped Jeong Jeong. Leaving them and the Fire Nation.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Hmm… Azula?" Mizuki asked concerned as she saw how pale the princess was.

Azula started to shake violently as she pushed herself off her seat and to the closets trash bin. She leaned over the trash bin and vomited last night's dinner. When she was done emptying her stomach contents she fainted. Even though she was unconscious her body was shaking violently.

"Oh no! Someone quickly get the doctor, Princess Azula has gone into shock!" Mizuki yelled down the hall as she laid Azula on her back and lifted the princess' legs a little bit.

Mizuki wrapped the princess' cloak around the Azula like a blanket and carefully firebended warmth onto the cloak.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A few hours later Mizuki was sitting in the princess' cabin keeping her eye on Azula as she slept. All the crew could do was wait to know how their princess was feeling.

Mizuki jumped when she saw Azula started to stir. "Azula."

Azula opened her eyes to see Mizuki. "Wha-what happened?"

"You went into shock. Most likely from what happened to your family." Mizuki explained.

"My family?" Azula said quietly as she began to cry.

"Uh, Azula. Do you remember what happened?"

"Not much I just remember seeing lots of fire and smoke. And…"

"And what?"

"Blood. Burnt blood. From that boy who saved me."

Mizuki was surprised that Azula didn't remember her cousin. "You mean Lu Ten?"

"Is that is name? The boy who saved me?"

"Yes."

Azula stayed quiet not sure what else to say. That's the way it stayed for the rest of the time on the Fire Nation ship.


	2. The Southern Water Tribe - Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

A few days have passed and nearly everyone was on deck trying to spot the Southern Water Tribe.

"Argh! It shouldn't be this hard to find them." Mizuki complained as she lowered her telescope. "We need to find them soon, we're really low on supplies."

"Um… Mizuki. What's that over there?" Azula asked as she looked beyond the bowsprit of the ship.

Mizuki looked over where Azula was looking through her telescope. "Wow, Azula. You have amazing eyesight to spot the village. Helmsman set a course for the village straight ahead. We're going to need to cut off the engines sometime before we hit the shores so we don't accidentally destroy their village."

"Yes, ma'am." The helmsman replied.

When they finally got close enough to the village, the crew who was on deck could see villagers keeping an eye on them. There were men of the village who came walking up to the ship ready to fight if necessary.

"Wait we are not here to fight!" Mizuki announced. "Please do not attack, here us out."

"That's hard to believe since you firebenders have attacked our village before." One man argued.

When Azula heard that firebenders were attacking other nations she looked over the deck railing to see the Water Tribe men.

"What? Oh, the Southern Raiders. Are they still attacking?" Mizuki questioned.

"There haven't been any attacks in two weeks until you came."

"We promise we're not here to attack you. We'll surrender and become your prisoners." Mizuki said quickly.

The men of the Water Tribe looked at each other not sure what to do. "Hakoda, should we take them up on that offer?"

The man who Azula saw talking for the Water Tribe group looked up at the ship again. "What's that child doing on the ship?"

Azula knew they were talking about her since she was the only child on the ship. Mizuki looked over at the Fire Nation princess. "She is why we have come to the you the Southern Water Tribe for help. Let us come down and we will explain everything. No fighting."

The men let them lower the gangplank and step onto the Southern Water Tribe land officially. "Everyone surrender to the Water Tribe for Azula's sake." Mizuki order as she got on her knees and place her arms out for the Water Tribe to bind.

Everyone did what they were ordered to do, including Azula. Hakoda looked at Azula and softened a bit.

"We'll only take the adults prisoner except for the child and you who I presume is the captain." Hakoda said addressing Mizuki.

"Yes, I am the captain."

"Good, you will be explaining the whole thing to us."

The crew had their arms bind behind their backs with rope and all of them were guided to the village. "Bato, you and the other men should take the crew to the south end of the village and try to find some warm clothes so they don't freeze to death. Assuming they are telling the truth we don't want to show cruelty to them. Captain, you and the child come with me." Hakoda ordered.

Mizuki and Azula followed Hakoda further into the village. They were guided to the igloo in the center of village. As they approached the igloo an old woman walked out.

"Hakoda, what are those Fire Nation women doing here?" The old woman asked.

"Mother, can you get Kya please it's kind of important." Hakoda asked.

Hakoda's mother eyed Mizuki and Azula before entering the igloo again. It only took a few minutes before a younger woman walked out of the igloo.

"Kanna said you needed me for something that involved the Fire Nation." Kya said in a worried voice as she saw Azula and Mizuki.

"Please look after the child, she doesn't need to be involved with what the Fire Nation crew and their captain here are going to discuss about with the council and I." Hakoda asked kindly.

Kya looked at Azula. Azula started looking around at the village, besides it being far colder than it was in the Fire Nation there were a lot of different things she hadn't seen before.

"Alright, Hakoda. You're right the child does not need to be invol- Spirits! Is that blood on her clothes?" Kya gasped as she knelt down in front of Azula.

Hearing their mother's voice rise, two children stuck their head out from the igloo. They saw their mother checking the pale skinned child in front of them.

"Yes, it is blood, but it's not her blood." Mizuki replied. "Please the sooner I explain the situation the less questions there will be."

"Fine. Follow me. Kya, think you can spare some of Katara's clothes for her?" Hakoda asked his wife.

"I'm sure we'll find something. Follow me sweetie, let's get you warmed up." Kya said gently as she held her hand out for Azula to take.

Azula slowly grabbed Kya's hand and was led into the igloo. "Mommy, who is that girl?" The little Water Tribe girl asked.

"I don't know her name, honey. What is you name, sweetie?" Kya asked kindly. Having two children of her own, she knew how to talk to children. She understood why Hakoda wanted her to look after the Fire Nation child.

"Azula."

"That's a pretty name. These are my children. My son, Sokka, my daughter, Katara, and I'm Kya." Kya introduced. "Now let's get you out of these bloody clothes. Katara, can you find some of your clothes for her to borrow."

"Okay, mom." Katara ran over to her chest to find some clothes.

"Sokka, go help your grandmother with dinner, please."

"But-"

"No, buts Sokka." Kya said.

Sokka sighed. "Fine."

"Is there blood anywhere else besides your clothes Azula?" Kya asked.

"No, Mizuki helped wash the blood away sometime ago." Azula answered.

Katara came running back with some of her clothes in her arms. "Here they are mommy."

"That's great, honey. Azula, Katara, follow me." The two girls followed Kya behind a curtain away from the fire where Sokka and Kanna were. "Here, I'm going to help you out of your clothes and into some of my daughter's."

It wasn't hard for them to remove Azula's Fire Nation clothes. The hardest part was putting all the layers of the Water Tribe clothes on her. "Hopefully you're warmer now than you were when you came here."

"Much warmer." Azula replied while smiling and hugging herself trying to feel the warmth in her arms again. She looked down her anorak there was a crescent moon inside a circle and a few wavy lines also in the circle.

"That's the symbol of the Water Tribe." Kya answered Azula's silent question. "Katara, do you mind playing with Azula?"

"Sure mommy! C'mon Azula, you have to see our pet Polar Dog!" Katara grabbed Azula's hand and dragged her to the Polar Dog near the fire. "This is our Polar Dog, Koro."

Azula stayed still looking at the Polar Dog. She didn't know how to react, the only animals she saw her person were the Turtle Ducks near a pond. She couldn't remember which pond it was in the Fire Nation, but she remembered the big tree that hung over the pond as well.

"He's so…" Azula started.

"Koro is so, what Azula?"

"He's so fluffy." Azula said as she blushed.

Katara giggled which caused Azula to blush more. "Haven't you seen furry animals before?"

"No, the only animal I've seen were Turtle Ducks, and they're feathery, not fluffy."

"If you think he's fluffy just by looking at him, you should hug him and feel how fluffy he is!" Katara grabbed Azula's hand and dragged the Fire Nation girl close to the Polar Dog.

"Koro, this is Azula. Be nice." Katara order her Polar Dog.

Koro opened one of his eyelids to look at Azula. He got up and walked over to the firebender. He sniffed her for a while until he licked the side of Azula's face. Azula taken back a little since she wasn't expecting to be licked. Koro pushed his head into her chest, knocking the girl over.

"Aw, Koro likes you!" Katara exclaimed as Koro laid his head down on Azula's stomach and had his paws on either side of the firebender. "He only lays on top of the people he likes."

Azula just stayed still looking at Koro as he fell back asleep on her. "He's so fluffy." She said again.

Kanna just stared at the two girls and the dog not very amused. She didn't care if the firebender was just a child, after what happened to her friend Hama a little over fifty years ago, she couldn't trust anyone from the Fire Nation.

"Gran Gran, when are the stewed sea prunes going to be done?" Sokka asked as his stomach growled.

"Soon Sokka."

Just as Sokka was about to ask another question, Hakoda walked in with Mizuki close behind him. "Kya let Mizuki and Bato look after the children. I need to talk to you and mother."

"Uh, sure." Kya said as she looked at her husband from around the curtain. She had just finished finding a place to put Azula's Fire Nation clothes away until she could find a way to remove the blood.

"Children follow Mizuki please. Koro, come on get off Azula." Hakoda said as he nudged the Polar Dog off the young firebender.

Katara, Sokka, and Azula quickly followed Mizuki out of the igloo. "Aw man, are we ever going to eat?" Sokka complained.

Azula saw the crew already back on the ship. "Mizuki, are we leaving?" she asked.

"Not exactly, Azula." Mizuki said as she knelt down to Azula's height. "This might be hard for you to understand, especially with what happened two weeks ago."

"What happened two weeks ago? I told you I can't remember anything but a lot of fire, smoke, and the blood that was on my clothes." Azula complained.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. Azula, I hope someday you can remember what happened. As terrible as it was, it is part of who you are. The crew and I are going to try and find the rest of your family, who we hope are still alive. You're going to stay here in the Southern Water Tribe where it's safe." Mizuki tried explaining.

"If you find them, will you come back for me?" Azula asked.

"I can't promise anything Azula. I'm not sure if we'll ever find them. I really want to promise you that we will, but I can't bring myself to give you false hope." Mizuki said as she brushed the girl's hair out of her face.

Tears started to build in Azula's eyes. She did the first thing that came to her mind. Azula hugged Mizuki really tightly and cried into the Fire Nation captain's shoulder. Mizuki hugged Azula just as hard. The two of them have gone through so much in the past two weeks it was heartbreaking for them to part.

"Captain. Here are the swords you requested." One of the female crews said as she handed the sheathed double broadswords to Mizuki.

"Thank you. Go back to the ship and we'll be leaving shortly." Mizuki ordered before turning back to Azula. "The rest of the crew and I thought it'd be best if you keep these broadswords with you to remember the Fire Nation."

The captain carefully handed the swords to her princess. Azula had trouble lifting it up because of the weight. "It's a little heavy right now, but I'm sure in time you'll be able to master using them." Mizuki said with a sad smile before putting the sword's strap around the Azula so sword was across the princess' back.

They stared at each other for a while before hugging each other again. When Hakoda, Kya, and Kanna walked out of the igloo, Mizuki let go of her princess and stood up.

"We should be going." Mizuki said to the three Water Tribe adults.

"That would be best." Kanna said bluntly.

Mizuki looked down at the Fire Nation princess. She was speechless, not sure what else to say to the girl. Azula just hugged the captain again. Mizuki returned the hug one last time before parting and walking as fast as she could to the ship to prevent the parting from being any harder than it already was.

Azula had tears pouring down her cheeks. Katara reached out and grabbed Azula's hand giving it a tight squeeze while Azula kept on crying. The chief's family stayed outside with Azula until the Fire Nation ship was out of sight.

Kya placed a hand on the firebender's shoulder causing Azula to look up at her. Azula wiped the tears away with her free hand.

"Let's go inside and get some food in your stomach. That should make you feel better."

Everyone walked back into the igloo where the stewed sea prunes were ready. Katara sat herself down next to Azula, wanting to help the girl as much as possible. Kya smiled at her daughter's gesture to help her new friend.

"Here you go, Sokka. Eat to your heart's content." Hakoda said to his son as he handed a bowl of stewed sea prunes. "Just remember to leave some for the rest of us."

Kya passed a bowl to Kanna and Katara before getting a small spoon full of stewed sea prunes for Azula. "I think you should try it first to see how you like it."

The firebender took the spoon and sipped the stew. She felt her stomach turn violently. Kya and Katara couldn't help but smile.

"It's usually not tasty for those who aren't used to it." Kya said. "Here, at least eat a little more of the stew so you can get used to the taste. It's a common dish. Would you like rice?"

She didn't trust herself to open her mouth and risk losing her stomach contents because of the stew, so Azula just nodded.

Kya handed Azula a bowl with rice and stewed sea prunes. "Does anyone else want rice with their stew?" Katara and Hakoda were the only ones who responded. Sokka was too busy trying to set a record for eating the most stewed sea prunes, and Kanna kept staring at Azula waiting for the firebender to create havoc onto the Water Tribe.

Azula looked at the Water Tribe family as they ate their dinner. This was going to be where she lived from now on, and she wasn't welcomed. She silently groaned to herself as she continued eating her stewed sea prunes and hoped things would turn up for her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night after Kya had put all three children to bed, the adults stayed up to discuss further on the situation they were in.

"This is very different compared to yesterday. I did not expect to become a guardian to another child who is about Katara's age." Kya said softly.

"None of us did." Hakoda said before sipping more stewed sea prunes.

"I can't believe you took the child in or even let the Fire Nation into our village, Hakoda. If your father was still alive he wouldn't have allowed that to happen." Kanna pointed out obviously very upset with her son.

"Mother, you don't understand. When Azula looked down at the other men and I, I could tell that Fire Nation crew was not lying about just trying to get that girl to safety. And from what Mizuki said, there is no way someone could make up something like that and show signs of mental trauma." Hakoda justified.

"But how can we be sure, they won't attack us later?" Kya asked her husband.

Hakoda pondered of the potential future. "I'm going on my instincts here. If what Mizuki said was true, we may get more Fire Nation attacks, but it won't be from them. It'll be from their new Fire Lord. I'll gather the men and start a lookout so we can ambush the Fire Nation ships before they even get a chance to come near the village again."

"It's just a bad idea keeping a nobleman's daughter here. There will be soldiers after her. Even if the soldiers don't come after her, she might become like them." Kanna argued.

"I won't let that happen." Hakoda said as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's young and here in the Water Tribe. There might be a chance that she learns to become one of us even if she is of Fire Nation birth."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she hates the Fire Nation because they murdered her grandfather, father, and cousin. Also no one knows if her mother, uncle, and brother are still alive. If her mother is alive I can only imagine what it would feel like to not know if one of your children is alive.

"If it was us and Katara was taken to the Fire Nation, I'd hope a family would take her in and try to keep her safe as well. I agree with Hakoda. Azula should stay here. There's nowhere else for her to go that's safe."

Kanna eyed her son and daughter-in-law. "Fine, do what you want, but don't expect me to treat her as another grandchild."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The young Fire Nation princess groaned as she felt someone gently shake her while whispering her name. Azula opened her eyes slightly to see it was her uncle bright eyed and bushy tailed.

"Uncle! It's not even morning yet!" The princess groaned as she turned her back to her uncle while pulling the covers further up.

Iroh chuckled. "Ah, but this is part of your training, Azula. There's something I want you to experience. You have to hurry though, the sun will be rising soon!"

She groaned again as she rolled out of bed and tiredly followed her uncle. It's been three months since she started officially started training with her uncle. Azula had been able to bend fire since she was three, but her mother thought she was too young to start her firebending training. However, that didn't stop Iroh from unofficially teaching her the basics of firebending with little games for Azula to practice the breathing exercises.

For two years Iroh has taught non-fire basics of firebending to the princess and was aware that Ursa knew what he was doing. Since Azula wasn't producing or playing with fire during these 'games' with her uncle, Ursa didn't see the need to stop Iroh. On Azula's fifth birthday she knew immediately what she wanted, her very first firebending lesson.

Azula raised an eyebrow when she realized her uncle was taking her to the highest balcony in the palace. She stayed close to him until she saw her cousin already standing on the balcony. "LU TEN!" The young firebender charged at her cousin and jumped at him.

Lu Ten just barely caught her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Whoa! What's got you pumped up so early?"

"You, silly! I don't get to see you as much since you joined the army."

The young prince chuckled and ruffled Azula's hair. "I'm sorry, but you know what? My unit is on rotation from training for the weekend. You, your brother, and I can spend time together the whole time, how does that sound?"

"Really? Well, we can have it butt in with my fire bending lessons with Uncle though!"

"Speaking of firebending lessons, that is why I have you up now, Azula." Iroh piped in, trying to settle his niece down. "Do you know of Agni, the Sun Spirit?"

"I think you've mentioned him a few times."

"Agni is the Sun Spirit, it is through him we are able to firebender. Without the sun there is no fire. Firebenders can still bend with a partial solar eclipse since the sun is visible even if just barely. It's only during a total eclipse are we firebenders left powerless. There is one notable tragic event in our history that involved a total eclipse, but that story is for when you're older."

Azula groaned from wanting to hear what happened during the total eclipse. "Please Uncle!"

"No, your mother will let me hear it if I told you that story. I promise I will tell you what happened when you're older?"

"Promise?"

"As your Firebending Master I promise. Now close your eyes. Practice your breathing exercises and try to feel Agni. We will begin today's training by meditating to greet Agni."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Suddenly Azula shot up and wrapped her arms around her stomach as she felt like she was going to throw up. The smell of burnt blood was still fresh in her mind as if it was right next to her. Hearing footsteps making their way from the other side of the curtain, Azula grabbed the blankets and pulled them over her as she laid back down pretending to be asleep.

She was wide-awake and afraid to fall back asleep. The Fire Nation girl felt her whole body shake as she was reminded of where she was due to the winter cold and fear. Azula bit her lip and squeezed her eye shut when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her jaw clenched as she tried harder to keep quiet to pretend she was still asleep as tears start trailing down her cheeks.

The hand began rubbing small circles along her back as soothing words were spoken quietly to her. Kya looked over at her children to see them still fast asleep as she tried to calm Azula down.

"Shssh, its okay. You're safe. I'm right here, its okay, take nice slow breaths. There you go." Kya continued rubbing Azula's back until the young firebender stopped shaking. "There all better. Do you think you can go back to sleep?"

Azula shook her head. She didn't want to go back to sleep. She didn't want to see the same scene, to smell the burnt blood, to feel the pain of being barely able to breathe because of the smoke, or to hear Lu Ten's scream. The thought of hearing Lu Ten's scream caused Azula to shiver.

Kya gave Azula a soft smile. "Okay… how about you and I sit by the fire to warm you up? It'll be a while before you get used to the temperatures." Gently Kya lifted Azula up and carried her to the center of the igloo where the fire pit was.

"Everything alright?" Hakoda asked as Kya walked in still holding Azula.

His wife just smiled as she sat down. Azula had her arms around Kya's neck as she tried not to cry again. The young girl stared at some of the wall décor until Koro nudged her leg. She gave a small smile.

"Mommy? What's wrong?"

Azula looked up to see Katara.

"She had a nightmare and couldn't fall back asleep. Do you want to keep her company?"

Katara's face lit up. "You mean I can stay up?"

"Yes, but we're not going to make a habit of it. All of you need your rest." Kya let go of Azula so the young firebender could sit by Katara.

The two girls leaned against Koro as they stared at the fire. Sitting closer to the entrance of the igloo made Azula shiver even more due to the low temperatures. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate in filling the fire's warmth, but that didn't stop her from shaking.

"Are you cold?"

"N… n… no."

Katara raised her eyebrow at Azula before getting up to get a blanket from their makeshift room. "You know you don't have to act like a pig's bull head."

Azula looked at Katara oddly at the other girl's comment.

"I think you mean she shouldn't have to act bull-pig headed, dear." Hakoda corrected his daughter.

"That's what I said!" Katara wrapped the blanket around the two of them before they leaned back against Koro. After a few moments of silence, Katara began asking Azula some questions quietly. "Do you like it here so far? What's the Fire Nation like? What's your favorite color?"

"Uh… I don't know… It's warmer and more colorful, and red and gold… I guess." Azula remembers the Fire Nation in general. She remembers being happy with her family at some events, but can't remember the details. The only details she could remember were from the Coup.

"You don't want to talk do you?"

The firebender politely shook her head and blushed. "I can't remember a lot of the Fire Nation. Just a little."

Katara grabbed Azula's hand. "If you remember anything… will you tell me? I like to learn more about you."

Azula gave a small nod. The rest of the night Katara told various things about the Southern Water Tribe to Azula. The Water Tribe girl kept talking until both girls fell asleep, using Koro as a pillow. As they slept, Azula never let go of Katara's hand and she was able to sleep through the rest of the night.


	3. The Southern Water Tribe - Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

Three years have gone by since the Imperial Firebenders left Azula with the Southern Water Tribe in the care of Chief Hakoda and his wife, Kya.

"Come on, Azula there's a huge snow ball fight going on outside with the other kids."

Even after three years, Katara still constantly dragged Azula practically everywhere. Azula wasn't complaining she just found it funny how she could never keep up with the waterbender. It was only shortly after Azula arrived to the Southern Water Tribe did they find out Katara was the last waterbender in the South Pole.

Also in the past three years Azula had been training with the Wolf Warriors with Sokka. Since she was about Sokka's height she was a good partner for him to work with. Normally females were not allowed to train with the men. During the training with the Wolf Warriors, Azula learned how to track and fight just like the other men. They treated her just like the other boys who were training as well.

After the training with the other Wolf Warriors, Hakoda took some personal time to keep an eye on Azula as she practice using the dual broadswords that the Fire Nation grew wanted to keep when they left her. She's been spending most of her time trying to hold the swords up and swinging them in a crasada and reverse crasada motion with out losing control. She knew one day she'll be able to use the swords to the best of her ability.

As Azula and Katara walked over to the center circle, Sokka saw them. "Cool, we're even now. Let's play snow wars!"

"Snow wars?" Azula asked as she looked over at Katara.

"It's Sokka being big meanie. There's usually one prisoner, usually a girl and two teams have to go through a snowball fight to rescue the prisoner. One team protects their fort and the prisoner from the prisoner's team. The prisoner's team is trying to get into the fort and save their prisoner." Katara explained.

"Katara is the prisoner!" Sokka yelled.

"What? No way!" Katara objected.

"All in favor for Katara being the prisoner?" Sokka asked the group.

Everyone except Azula raised their hands. "Well, at least someone appreciates me." Katara mumbled as she walked over Sokka's team where they were going to guide her to their fort.

"I call Tsukihiro on my team!" Sokka shouted while running after his sister.

"Looks like Azula is on Teruko's team." Tsukihiro said also following Sokka.

Azula just sighed not understanding why Sokka volunteered his sister to be the prisoner. Teruko had a group circle going on for planning their strategy to save Katara.

"Let's keep three who have good arms to throw from a distance. And the rest will go full out on the offense. Who's good at throwing far?" Teruko asked her group.

Everyone looked at each other. "How are we supposed to know?" One girl asked.

Teruko sighed. "Okay, do I have any volunteers who thinks that can throw far and hit someone?"

Two boys volunteered. Not seeing anyone else planning to volunteer, Azula raised her hand. "Great, get into position." Teruko ordered.

"I have a feeling this is going to end badly, the way how Teruko is organizing this." Azula commented to herself as she got behind the makeshift snow wall.

Once everyone was in position, they waited to see who was going to make the first shot. Some adults stopped what they were doing to see what the kids were going to do. It wasn't the first snow war that's happened with the kids, but this is the first where they're not chucking snowballs at each other.

"This is annoying." Azula said to the other two boys. She peeked over the snow wall she could see Tsukihiro and a few other boys still waiting for her team to make the wrong move.

Azula grabbed hold of one of the many snowballs behind the wall. "Guys, once I throw the snowball pull me down as fast as you can, got it?"

The two boys nodded. Azula carefully looked over the wall again, if she timed it right, Tsukihiro will stand up and she'll be able to hit him before he can throw his snowball. Sure enough he did. Azula shot up and threw the snowball. The two boys grabbed hold of Azula by the waist and pulled her down quickly.

"Urgh!" Tsukihiro yelled realizing he's been hit. "I'm out! Everyone all out war on Teruko's team, no fear!"

Sokka's team ran over the wall starting to charge at Teruko's team just as Tsukihiro left the battlefield, onto the sidelines.

"My team, charge!" Teruko ordered.

The adults laughed seeing how the usual snow war between the children had finally started. Azula stayed on the defenses like she was ordered pegging member's of Sokka's team with every five snowballs she threw. That was until Teruko retreated and hid behind the wall with Azula and the other two boys.

"Teruko!" All three of them shouted.

"Sorry, we're being out numbered!"

Azula looked over the snow wall only to be nearly hit with a snowball herself. She looked over once again. There were four of her team and six of Sokka's.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. First we're going to crawl over to the west wall carefully to not get hit. That way if the charge at us we won't be here." Azula ordered.

The four of them quickly scurried to the west wall, just as the made it over to the west wall, Sokka's team did attack. "Now we attack. Boys, take out Sokka's team who attacked over on the south wall. Teruko and I will get Katara. On three."

"Three, Two ONE!" All four kids charged their separate ways.

One of the boys on Teruko's team was hit while the other one hit the two boys on Sokka's team. As Azula and Teruko charged towards the northern wall Sokka and two other boys were left.

"Teruko, go after the boys. Sokka is mine!" Azula dropped to the ground and slid underneath of the moves closer to Sokka.

Both Sokka and Azula held a fighting stance seeing who was going to hit the other first. "You know Sokka unlike your time my time is pretty merciful. Give up with dignity and you won't have to lose to a girl."

"Argh! Giving up is worse that losing to you!" Sokka tossed his last snowball only to barely miss Azula.

A smirk went across Azula's face as she also tossed her last snowball pegging Sokka right in the face. Before anyone could recover Azula jumped over Sokka and the snow wall to Katara who was playing with Koro.

"Gee, thanks Katara. I help save you and you're busying playing with Koro." Azula said sarcastically.

"Well, what did you expect me to do while you and everyone else was busy throwing snowballs at each other and I'm stuck being a prisoner?" Katara responded.

"Maybe pay attention to the fight to find weakness in the other players and use it to your advantage!" Azula said loudly.

Katara and Azula continued to argue with each other neither being aware that Sokka was sneaking up on Azula.

"SNEAK ATTA- ARGH!" Sokka shouted before being pegged by nearly every kid with a snowball. "WHY IS EVERYONE ATTACKING ME?"

"SNOWBALL RIOT!" Tsukihiro shouted. Every kid started throwing snowballs at everyone not caring which kid they hit.

Azula quickly pushed Katara down protecting her from the wild snowballs that flew towards them. "You know a proper thanks would be nice as well." Azula continued their argument.

"Okay, fine how about this? My hero!" Katara exclaimed in a very perky tone as she hugged Azula. "For your bravery a kiss on the cheek."

"Alright, we won! Next time Azula you're going to be the- wah!" Teruko tripped and pushed Azula on top of Katara just as Katara was about to kiss Azula's cheek.

"Oops sorry." Teruko apologized. When she looked over at Azula and Katara she blushed.

Teruko had accidently pushed Azula to kiss Katara on the lips. "Spirits I'm really sorry. Azula, you're the leader next time." Teruko apologized again and ran off to the free for all snowball fight.

Once it registered to Azula and Katara that their lips were touching they quickly pulled away from each other. They were both blushing but couldn't help but smile at each other.

"What are you two smiling about?" Sokka asked. As he climbed over the snow wall covered in a lot of snow.

"Nothing." Both girls replied before running away from Sokka.

They ran until they were close to their igloo. The two girls looked at each other and blushed again before looking away. Katara smiled a little before holding Azula's hand, causing both of them to blush even more.

"We're still friends, right?" Katara asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay, good. It was just a kiss, right? Nothing wrong with kissing."

"Y-yeah. N-nothing wrong with kissing." Azula held Katara's hand tighter as they went back home.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"KYA!" Azula ran as fast as she could back to her igloo. She didn't dare look back as she knew some of the older kids were still chasing her.

Just as Kya exited the igloo, Azula immediately ran right behind her and held onto Kya's pant leg. All the kids stopped and glared at Azula as some adults came running up behind them. They looked furious.

"What is going on here?" Kya simply asked.

"What is going on?" One of the water tribe mother's huffed. "What is going on is that Fire Nation trash attacked my son! She used her firebending and burned him!"

"That girl has been nothing, but trouble since she came here! It's about time someone taught her a lesson." One of the other mother's tried making a grab for Azula, but was pushed away by Kya.

"DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH MY DAUGHTER!" Kya yelled as she gently pushed Azula in further behind her. "And don't you ever insult her again. What makes you think she burned your son anyways?"

The boy was dragged by his father to show Kya the freshly made burn mark on his cheek. Kya sighed as she grabbed a handful of snow and put it in his hand for him to ice the burn before it got any worse.

"And what was your son and the other kids doing before Azula used her firebending on him?" Kya asked.

Nearly every kid who was chasing Azula answered at once. "Nothing!", "We were just playing a game!"

"LIARS! All you've been doing was pushing me around. That's all you've been doing for three years!" Azula objected.

Azula hid further behind Kya when she felt the other kids were getting ready to attack her again.

"Alright, that's enough! I'll talk to Hakoda and we will have a council meeting about this situation. Azula, come with me, we're going back home." Kya gently pushed the firebender back to their igloo. As they entered the igloo the two heard the others mumble their irritation towards the Chief and his family for taking Azula into their home.

Kya rolled her eyes before kneeling down so she was eye level with Azula. "Now, I want to hear your side of the story. Don't worry about what I think the other mothers and their kids said about the situation, I want your side of the story."

And Azula told her about the bullying that was happening for the past three years. She described how she was finally fed up with being pushed around and punched the boy, but she didn't expect fire to come from her fist either. "It was the first time I produced fire since I came here. I was so angry and I didn't want them bullying me anymore because I'm from the Fire Nation, but I didn't mean to burn him I swear!"

"I believe you, Azula. I know for a fact you would have never done that, especially if Hakoda was allowing you to train with Sokka and the other Wolf Warriors. However, there is going to be a council meeting about this and you need to tell your side of the story again to Hakoda and everyone else who shows up to the meeting." Kya brushed some of Azula's hair out of her face. "You're brave and all you have to do is tell the truth. No matter what happens Hakoda and I will still look after you because you're our daughter."

"Do you really mean that? That's twice you've called me your daughter." Azula looked at Kya straight in the eyes.

The two stared at each other before Kya smiled at Azula. "Of course I mean that. While I might not have carried and given birth to you like I had with Sokka and Katara, you are my daughter just as much as Sokka and Katara are my children. I don't favor them because I gave birth to them and I don't favor you because Hakoda and I took you in, I treat all three of you equally."

Azula looked at the ground, "Do I have to call you 'mom' and Hakoda 'dad'?"

"Not if you don't want to. If you do then alright we'll be 'mom' and 'dad' to you. If you want to continue calling us by our names that is alright too. Whatever you are comfortable with, Azula. Would you rather I not call you my daughter anymore?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I'm fine if you continue to call me your daughter, but I can't bring myself to call you 'mom' though…"

Kya pulled Azula in for a hug. "That's okay. Whatever is comfortable. I know I can't replace your biological mother, but I'll always be here for you as a mother." She smiled when she felt Azula wrap her arms around her neck.

"Thanks, Kya."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Psst! Azula, wake up."

Azula groaned as she felt Katara continue to shake her. "What? Katara, it's the middle of the night."

"I know, but I want to show you something that would cheer you up! Mom is helping me sneak you out of the igloo. C'mon it's about to start and it's going to be really cool. You haven't seen this yet!"

After much pulling the firebender out of bed, Katara was finally able to get Azula outside of the igloo and dragged the girl to one of the outer walls. Azula let out a big yawn once they reached the top of the wall.

"How is it you can get up early in the morning with a lot of energy, but you can't stay awake during the middle of the night when we don't get to do this often?" Katara asked as the two sat down.

The firebender shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel more awake in the morning than I do at night. Who is it that you have so much energy at night than in the morning?"

Katara returned the shrug. "Even I don't know. I just feel more awake at night."

"You're so weird."

"You're weird!"

"Fine! We'll be weird together!"

"Okay!"

"Okay!"

The two broke out laughing. Katara leaned against Azula's shoulder. "So… what happened today when I was practicing? I over heard mom and dad were going to hold a council meeting."

"I really don't want to talk about it."

Katara pouted. "Oh, come on! You promised you tell me things!"

Azula smirked. "No, I promised I'll tell you anything about the Fire Nation when I remember them more."

"Why won't you tell me though?"

"Because I don't the other kids to hate you too. Teruko and some of the other kids like me, but there are a few who don't. They don't trust me because I'm from the Fire Nation." Azula wrapped her arms around her legs. "Whatever. I don't like them either since they're jerks.

"So… what are we out here for again?"

"That!" Katara pointed to the sky.

The firebender looked up to see green lights in the night sky. "Whoa! What is that? Why haven't I seen this before? It's amazing!"

"I know, right? They don't show every year. Look it changed to blue! I've never seen it blue before!"

Standing near the igloo, Kya smiled as she watched the girls watching the Southern Lights. "Alright, I got Sokka up, but I think he's going to be falling back asleep soon." Hakoda held onto his son's shoulders as Sokka tiredly walked out of the igloo. "Sokka, come on, you're going to miss the lights!"

"Lights later… sleep now…" Sokka wobbled side to side as he tried to fall back asleep while standing.

Hakoda and Kya chuckled. "That's at least something he and Azula share. They can't stay awake at night." Hakoda wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "What do you think our girls are talking about up there?"

"Who knows, Koda." Kya leaned her head on her husband's chest. "What do you think the rest of the council and the tribe is going to say tomorrow?"

"I don't know, Kya. We knew that part of the tribe wasn't going to accept Azula living with us. That just comes with being at war with the Fire Nation for nearly a hundred years and she's a nobleman's daughter too. But, no matter what I will take Azula's side since it was an accident. I don't think she would ever purposely burn someone."

Azula pointed towards the sky. "Look! It's turning red now! Do you think I can be a good firebender? I don't have a master to teach me."

"I think you can. Do you think I can be a good waterbender? I also don't have a master to teach me."

The firebender stood up. "How about this tonight we pledge to be the best benders of our element! I'm going to be the greatest firebender in the Southern Water Tribe and you're going to be the greatest waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe."

Katara giggled. "Azula, we're the only benders in the whole tribe."

The other girl blushed. "Well… We're going to be the greatest fire and waterbenders in the whole world! How about that?"

The waterbender stood up. "Yay! Let's do it!"


	4. The Southern Water Tribe - Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Disclaimer from Prologue still applies.

She didn't want this to happen. She didn't want to be the reason the tribe is being broken up. Azula sat on the wall with her legs drawn up to her chest and her head resting on her knees. She could still hear the families who were leaving the tribe still gathering their belongings. The meeting with the council didn't go as smoothly as most had hoped.

When the council declared a warning as a punishment, the parents who were against having her objected. Many threatened to leave the tribe, but were surprised when Hakoda said they could leave if they so desired. Most of those families are still hoping Hakoda isn't serious as they continued packing.

Azula looked up at the stars. Even after being here for three years, she still wasn't used to it being dark majority of the day during the summer and light during the winter.

"Hey." Sokka sat down next to Azula. "What are you doing up here?"

"Staying away from everyone. The last thing I need to remind them why they are leaving."

"They're leaving because they want to though. You heard Dad and the council, they're not going to stop them."

"Yeah, but they're leaving because the council sided with me! They would rather leave the tribe than be part of it as long as I'm here. They have more right to be here than me anyways. They made it very clear I don't belong here."

The two fell silent. Azula quickly wiped away any tears that were threatening to fall.

"I GOT IT!"

"Got what?" Azula mumbled.

"Why don't you participate as part of an ice dodging crew? That's the perfect way to get accepted by the tribe!"

Azula raised her eyebrow at her sparring partner. "What's ice dodging?"

"Oh, right… you don't know about that. Well, basically it's when a Water Tribe boy becomes a man. On a boy's fourteenth birthday, he, his father, and two other people the boy trusts to help him run the boat!"

"That's the problem! No would trust me enough to help!"

"I think Tsukihiro would. He'll be able to participate in ice dodging in a few years."

"But I've never been on a boat that wasn't powered by firebenders."

"Trust me it's not that hard to pick up. Come on, get up!" Sokka pulled on Azula's arm to get her to stand. "I'm hungry and dinner is ready. Mom wouldn't let us start eating without you."

"All you think about is food, isn't it?"

"Yep!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula was sitting on the wall again as she tried soaking up the warm feeling of the sun. Today was the Winter Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Southern Water Tribe. The firebender didn't understand how this was possible since she remembered it always being the shortest day of the year back in the Fire Nation.

She leaned her head back to look at the sky. It's been four months since the tribe was split. Four months since she was last able to firebend. Everyday she tried to produce a small ball of fire like she was able to back in the Fire Nation and every time she failed. Azula closed her eyes hoping to feel the warmth she remembered having when she produced fire.

"Hey!" The firebender slightly jumped when Katara placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. "What are you doing up here?"

"Trying to feel Agni."

"Who's Agni?"

Azula opened her eyes. "Agni is the sun spirit. I'm slowly remembering what little firebending lessons my uncle taught me. I remember him saying that it's because of Agni firebenders are able to bend. I haven't been able to bend since I punched Makku."

Katara leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky. "It sure is quieter with some of the tribe gone. They forgot that as a tribe we're supposed to look after everyone like family."

"They did. I just wasn't considered part of it. Sokka thinks if I participate in Ice Dodging, I'll finally be accepted by everyone else who is still here."

"Oh, is that why you've been hanging out with Tsukihiro lately? You can do it. This is your home and we're your family, it'll make it even more official!"

The firebender nodded and closed her eyes while smiling. As Katara continued talking, Azula began to feel warmer. For the first time in a while she began to feel her inner fire.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Hakoda?"

The Southern Water Tribe chief turned towards his adopted daughter. He and Bato were busy packing up the rest of what they used for training today.

"What's wrong, Azula?

"Um..." She held out her hands and concentrated until she was able to produce a small fire ball. "I'm able to firebend again."

Hakoda knelt down so he was about Azula's height. "What's wrong with that? I'm thrilled you're able to bend again. I can only imagine what it was like not being able to bend for these past three years."

Azula dropped her hands and looked down at the ground. Hakoda looked at Bato silently letting his best friend know this might be a while and to finish taking the equipment back to the village. Bato understood completely. He trusted his best friend, who was practically his brother. That's why he immediately stood with Hakoda in defending Azula when the council was debating what to do with the incident between Azula and other children.

"Azula, be honest, what's wrong?"

"I don't want the tribe to split up more because I'm able to firebend again! I hate the Fire Nation! I hate being a firebender!"

The two of them stayed quiet as the let the words the girl shouted sink in. "Do you really hate being a firebender?"

Blue eyes met gold.

"No... I don't like others hating me because of where I was born and what I am. I didn't do anything."

Hakoda pulled Azula in for a hug. "No, you didn't. You're still a child and couldn't have done anything with the war. But it is hard sometimes to look past anyone from the Fire Nation not being for the war and trying to take over the other nations. We've been at war for nearly a hundred years. Everyone is tired and want it to end. The only thing that I can think would have happened to you if you were still in the Fire Nation is that you would inherit the same problems that all the other children before you had to deal with since this war spans through several generations."

Azula just nodded. Since she couldn't remember her family she could only imagine what she would have done if her family wasn't attacked and she was still in the Fire Nation. Would she have been in the Fire Nation's military attacking Earth Kingdom villages and cities? Or would she be a female diplomat and probably working under her Fire Lord?

"Do you remember any firebending lessons you might have had?"

"Just a few forms and breathing exercises. All I know is that it's opposite from water bending. So whatever Katara does I have to do the opposite."

"Hmmm..." Hakoda pondered. "Being a firebender is part of who you are. I think you have as much right as Katara does to be able to freely practice and improve as well. Either way I'll think of something for you to be able to practice and have it satisfy the rest of the village. Everything will be alright. I promise."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Good, you're doing well, Katara." Kanna praised her granddaughter as they moved through various waterbending forms. "Now, let's see if you can bend the water from the ocean."

Azula watched as Katara practiced her waterbending. After they made their promise to be the best benders in their elements, Kanna had taken it upon herself to train Katara as best she could from what she was taught. While Kanna wasn't a waterbender, she had many friends who were before the Fire Nation raided their village years ago. There was only so much Kanna could teach though. Azula was there for moral support and to figure out firebending for herself.

With fire and water being opposite elements, she thought it be best to watch Katara's waterbending training. Whatever Katara did, Azula would have to do the opposite. She gave a supportive smile to Katara when the ball of water burst and fell back into the ocean. "Katara, don't force it. Feel it." Azula encouraged.

Katara pouted towards Azula. "It's not the same with you! You can feel the sun!"

Azula chuckled. "Yeah, but I still have to be able to feel it. I might not be a waterbender, but I am a firebender. I able to bend again because I can feel it again."

"She is right, Katara. All of my friends always reminded us to feel as if the water and us were one. Even if we couldn't bend. Try again, Katara." Kanna patted her granddaughter on the back before turning her attention back to Azula. "And you. How is your firebending coming along?"

The firebender straightened up into attention as if she was with the other Wolf Warriors right now. This was the first time Kanna asked about her firebending or shown any concern for her.

"Well... I can hold a ball of fire longer than I had a month ago. There isn't much I can do until Hakoda finishes making the training area. But, they're having trouble finding a place that the rest of the village will be satisfied to allow me to practice."

Kanna sighed. "Firebend towards the ocean." Azula didn't move. "I'm not joking, I want to see you throw a punch towards the ocean and see fire."

Azula looked at Katara who looked just as confused at Kanna's reaction. "Okay, Kanna." She dropped into a fighting stance and through a reverse punch towards the ocean with a small fireball leaving her fist. "That's about as good as it gets at the moment."

The elder Water Tribe woman smiled. "It'll get better in time you two. Just keep practicing. Oh, and Azula... call me 'Gran Gran.'" With that she left the two girls to continue practicing.

"Katara, what just happened?"

Katara beamed at Azula. "Gran Gran just accepted you, Azula! She considers you part of the family!" She gave the stunned firebender a tight hug.

"Thank you, Gran Gran." Azula whispered to Kanna's retreating form.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Another three years have gone by Azula and Katara's bending improved greatly. Along with her firebending, Azula had been getting help from Hakoda in using her broad swords for fighting as her weapon of choice during Wolf Warrior training. She was finally able to hold them and practice with them for the whole training session without taking a break. At the age of eleven, Azula had become the youngest participant in helping out with Ice Dodging.

"The spirits of the water bear witness to these marks. For Tsukihiro, the mark of the wise. For Teruko, the mark of the brave. And for Azula, the mark of the trusted." Tsukihiro, Teruko, and Azula all looked at each other the three of them now had a bond with each other that couldn't be broken.

By the time the sun had set the whole village was gathered around a huge bonfire in celebration of Tsukihiro's Coming of Age. Azula normally would have sat with Kya, Sokka, and Katara, but today she sat with Teruko and Tsukihiro close to where Chief Hakoda and the Southern Water Tribe councilmen sat.

Once everyone had a little bit to eat Hakoda stood up earning the silence and attention of everyone.

"Today is a special day for another member of our tribe. To Tsukihiro and his crew members in the success of his Ice Dodging Ritual." With that Tsuhikiro, Teruko, and Azula stood up as the village cheered for them.

Tsukihiro's father walked up to Tsukihiro and handed his son a wolf warrior's battle uniform.

Hakoda continued after Tsukihiro's father took a seat. "Tsukihiro." Tsukihiro turned his attention to Hakoda with pride. "Should the Water Tribe go to war, may the spirits help us not, you are to come with us to defend your tribe. For this day forward, Tsukihiro is a Wolf Warrior!"

Everyone in the village cheered. Once everyone calmed down Hakoda spoke up again. "Not only is this a celebration for Tsukihiro, it is a celebration for Azula as well."

Hearing what Hakoda said shocked everyone. "Azula." Azula walked up to Hakoda like Tsukihiro had down seconds before her.

"You are of Fire Nation birth. You were brought here six years ago and in those six years you have grown up with us and learned about our traditions and customs. Today you helped Tsukihiro with his Ice Dodging Ritual by controlling the jib. You received the mark of the trusted, and that makes you a member of our tribe. If you want, the Southern Water Tribe can be your home."

Everyone continued to stay quiet not sure what to say. It's uncommon for someone outside the water tribe to be declared a member. Azula thought carefully of what had just been announced to the whole tribe.

"I am honored to be considered a member of the tribe now. When I first came here I didn't know how to express myself to anyone. So much has happened to me and even though I have no memory of it, I do know that with the patience and kindness I received here in the past six years, I've always felt comfort and can't imagine anywhere else but here of being my home. Thank you Chief Hakoda." Azula finished her speech by bowing to Hakoda.

Azula sat back down next to Teruko as Hakoda continued his announcements. "One more thing for this celebration. Tonight we also celebrate the Winter Solstice. Happy Solstice everyone!"

"Happy Solstice!" Everyone cheered before going back to eating and celebrating the three special occasions.

For some reason Azula looked over to Katara and just stared at her, admiring the fire light and moon light's glow on her. Suddenly Katara looked over at Azula and gave the firebender a warm smile. Azula blushed and continued eating her food to keep herself from staring at Katara again. Her stomach felt a different. It was warm and jittery. She didn't know what this feeling meant, but she knew it was caused because of Katara.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

One year later the Fire Nation ships were sighted on Southern Water Tribe waters. Even though the Fire Nation wasn't attacking any villages all the men thought to play it safe and ambush the ships before setting out to the Earth Kingdom to help end the war.

All the men including Tsukihiro were all packed and getting ready to leave when Sokka came walking up to one of the boats struggling to carry his sleeping bag and gear. Azula was closely following her training partner with sympathy in her eyes knowing that Sokka will not be able to join the rest of the men.

Hakoda saw the two walking up towards them. "Sokka.

"I'm coming with you." Sokka claimed.

Hakoda sighed knowing what he was about to say was going to hurt his son. "You're not old enough to go to war, Sokka, you know that."

"I'm strong! I'm brave! I can fight! Please, Dad!" he pleaded.

"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now that's here protecting your sister." Hakoda explained while placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder.

Azula was able to tell from Sokka's voice that he was on the verge of tears. "I don't understand." Sokka said weakly.

"Someday you will." Hakoda said.

With that Sokka dropped his gear and hugged his father. "I'm going to miss you so much." Hakoda finished as he returned Sokka's hug.

Once they parted Sokka picked up his gear and started to walk quickly back to the village.

"Azula."

"Yes, Hakoda?"

"I have a favor to ask you. Please look after Sokka and help him look after the village. This is probably going to be hard on him. You and I both know how much he wants to go."

"I will." Azula promised. "Um… would there ever be a chance for Sokka and I to ever help fight?"

"Maybe for Sokka, but Azula I hope you will never have to. I know we bent the rules and allowed you to train with the rest of the men, but I don't want you getting hurt. I don't have a definite answer for you. I'm sorry." Hakoda said truthfully.

"I understand." Azula gave Hakoda a hug before leaving to go find Sokka.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night everyone in the village gathered around the shore holding lanterns watching the men leave the Southern Water Tribe to go off to war.

"This isn't fair we stayed out of the war for so long." Katara said quietly as she held her brother close.

"What's not fair is that I should be going too." Sokka said sadly.

Azula placed her hand on Sokka's shoulder. "You'll get your chance. It just wasn't time for us to go."

Once the boats were out of sight everyone began walking back to the village. Azula, Katara, and Sokka all walked quietly back to their igloo with Kanna and Kya following closely behind them.

"Alright, off to bed all three of you." Kanna said as they entered the igloo.

"Yes, Gran Gran."

It didn't take long for all three of them to prepare for bed and under the covers of the many fur blankets. Sokka fell asleep immediately. Azula was close to falling asleep when Katara woke her up.

"Hey, Azula." Katara said quietly not trying to wake anyone else in the igloo.

"Yeah."

"Do you think the Avatar will ever return?"

Azula opened her eyes and looked at the igloo ceiling. "I don't know Katara. This war has been going on for nearly a hundred years. You would think the Avatar would have done something to stop the war. We know that the Avatar should have been born into the Air Nomads one hundred years ago, but they were wiped out. And if the Air Nomad Avatar were killed when the other Air Nomads were, a Water Tribe Avatar would have been born.

"Unless the Fire Nation had killed the Water Tribe Avatar within the last hundred years the Avatar would start off as an Earthbender. And if the Fire Nation did kill the Earth Kingdom Avatar, next would be the Fire Nation Avatar. Granted the could have probably found them and saving him or her as a secret, but if they didn't, the cycle has nowhere else to go without the Air Nomads." Azula speculated.

"So, that means you don't think the Avatar will return." Katara whispered sourly.

"I didn't say that nor did I imply it, I just speculated for a possible reason to why the Avatar hasn't helped stop the war yet. There's also the possibility that the Avatar hadn't shown themselves is because they hadn't mastered Airbending." Azula defended.

"The Avatar will return, and will know how to airbend. He or she has to." Katara finished before turning over telling Azula their conversation was done.

"If the Avatar does return knowing how to airbend, I'll teach you how to kick Sokka's butt the warrior's way so he has something to sulk about." Azula promised before turning over in her sleeping bag as well.

"That would be great. I'll hold you to it."

The two of them didn't know that two years from that day Azula would have to go through with that promise. "Seven years."

"Huh?" Azula looked over at Katara confused.

Katara looked back at Azula. "It's been seven years since you arrived here. This has been your home for over half your life already... Are you alright?"

Azula looked up at the ceiling. "Seven years... I can't believe it's been that long. To be honest, I almost forgot about it."

"Oh! I'm sorry for bringing it up."

The firebender shook her head. "No, it's fine. It doesn't hurt as much as I did in the past... Even though I don't remember them, I still miss them. I miss Lu Ten."

The waterbender reached out and held Azula's hand. "Can you tell me more about him from what you remember?"

Azula gently gave Katara's hand a squeeze before telling her all that she could remember about her cousin. The two quietly talked until they fell asleep. As they slept, like her first night, Azula never let go of Katara's hand.


	5. The Journey Begins

" _Azula! Azula!"_

_"Azula, run!"_

" _We need to get out of here now!"_

" _AZULA!"_

" _Azula, I'm… so-sorry."_

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Oof…" Azula rubbed her eyes and sat up to watch Katara tossing clothes all over their little makeshift room. "Katara, what are you doing? It's the middle of the night… or day whichever way you want to describe it."

"Blame Sokka. He didn't pack at all for the fishing trip tomorrow." Katara stuffed something small in a bag and put it in the clothes basket.

"Last I checked, fishing didn't require you raiding through the clothes basket. Now, what were you doing exactly that required you throwing a parka on me?" Azula smirked.

Katara blushed. "Sorry." She retrieved the parka and picked up the other clothes around the room to put them away. "Don't worry about it."

Azula gave a weak smile. She placed her head on top of her knee try to shake that uneasy feeling off from her dream.

"Are you okay?"

The firebender looked up. "Just a nightmare. Guess it was a good thing you were tossing clothes around while you did."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No… it's fine. I can't remember much about it. It was mostly screams coming from all over the place anyways." The two girls sat in silence not sure what else to say.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with Sokka and I?" Katara asked.

"I think it's safer if I didn't come. Sokka and I don't agree when it comes to fishing. He wants to use a spear while I want to use a net. Maybe you can get some extra waterbending practice by catching fish."

Both Katara and Azula laid back down in their sleeping bags. "Did it have anything to do with you escaping the Fire Nation?"

"I'm pretty sure all that screaming was from that night. Some of the screaming was coming from Lu Ten… even his dying words. That was almost ten years ago, Katara. There is nothing we can do to change that, but thank you for everything all these years."

Like the times before, Katara held onto Azula's hand. "Always."

Azula began rubbing the back of Katara's hand with her thumb as she silently waited for the other girl to fall back asleep. Once she was sure the waterbender was asleep, she got out of her sleeping bag and took a blanket with her to the center of the igloo. Koro lifted his head as Azula walked over to him.

"Hey, boy. We haven't done this in a while. Would you mind if I use you as a pillow like I did all those years ago?" She rubbed his head and under his chin trying to gain his approval. Koro licked her face before laying his head back on his front paws. "Thanks, Koro."

She wrapped the blanket around her and leaned against the Polar Dog. "Nine years today. I met you and everyone else nine years ago, can you believe that much time has passed?" Azula asked Koro while scratching behind his ears absent mindedly. "I'm scared, Koro. I don't think I remember what my mother looked like. I can barely remember Lu Ten's face nowadays. I don't want to forget them, they were my family after all. I can still hear their voices, but only from that night. I don't remember if my mother told me stories when she tucked me in at night or not. I don't remember my father or grandfather at all. I imagine my brother and I looking similar, but I can't even remember his face. He wouldn't look the same now anyways if he is alive. He would be sixteen. Don't get me wrong, I love my family here, but I never received any closure about my birth family. My amnesia hasn't helped either. I don't know who I really was before coming to the Southern Water Tribe. I hope once this war is over and the Fire Nation is defeated, I can explore the world to find out and maybe find my birth family."

The firebender adjusted herself so her head was using the Polar Dog's side as a pillow and stared at the fire. She watched as sparks flickered and the flames danced to the air around it. Watching fire burn had always calmed her down when she had trouble sleeping. Before she knew it she fell asleep while she meditated on the fire's glow.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula woke with a jolt, inhaling sharply as her head shot up from Koro's side. She looked around as she tried to clear her mind from suddenly awakening.

"Are you okay?" Kya asked having been tending to cooking their meal for the day while Azula was previously sleeping.

"Yeah… I don't know why I suddenly woke up though."

"Maybe because you slept in? Usually you're out training around this time."

"Well… it's getting closer to the Winter Solstice."

Kya smirked. "Like that's ever stopped you before. What's wrong? And don't argue with me, I am your mother. I know when you're lying no matter how good of a liar you can be sometimes."

A small tint of pink appeared on Azula's cheeks as she sat upright. "I had a nightmare about that night. Only I didn't see anything. It was dark and a lot of smoke. People were screaming my name from all directions. Then suddenly it's quiet and then I hear Lu Ten's dying words."

"Did you have that same nightmare again just now?" Kya asked as she put more Tiger Seal meat in the stew pot.

"No. I don't recall dreaming of anything, I just woke up." Azula wrapped the blanket around herself even tighter as she watched the fire. She shivered as she remembered the face of the man who attacked her and killed Lu Ten. She then remembered the blood and smell of burnt blood. "I hate him. I hate Fire Lord Akuzo. Why did he attack the royal family and the families loyal to them? What led him to do all of that?"

The older woman sat down next to her daughter and wrapped her arms protectively around the girl. "There could be many reasons. From what that Fire Nation captain told us about what happened it was because the previous Fire Lord had betrayed their own people."

Azula tilted her head back so she could look at Kya's face. "Did Mizuki say how? She was part of the Fire Nation's military as well, but she didn't attack the royal family nor the other noble families who were attacked that night. She protected me."

"From what I understand it was Fire Lord Akuzo who exclaimed that the previous Fire Lord betrayed them. That was all Hakoda was told and that was what he told Gran Gran and I. This war has been going on for nearly a hundred years, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people in the Fire Nation also suffering from the war. Not just our tribe and the Earth Kingdom. We don't even know about the Northern Water Tribe's conditions. Do you wish things were different?" Kya gave Azula a gentle squeeze.

"Yes… no… I don't know. I want both my birth family and this family. But if things didn't happen the way it did I would still be in the Fire Nation and contributing to the war on their side. At least growing up here I can see how insane it was to have this war started. If the other nations wanted to be ruled by the Fire Nation we wouldn't have been fighting for so long."

Kya kissed the top of Azula's head. "I can only imagine how all of that feels. My heart sinks imaging how your mother must have felt not knowing if you're alive or…"

"That's if she is alive." Azula interrupted. "I think I heard her voice screaming for me in my nightmare. I remember getting separated from her and that's when Lu Ten found me. I don't remember what she looked like… Every time I try to remember I see you, Kya." She felt Kya hug her tighter and kiss her head again. A few tears trickled down her cheeked.

"I wish there was something I could do to help you find your birth family or at least give you closure."

"Just holding me is fine right now, Mo-" Azula choked back the last word. "Kya."

The older woman gently smiled as she caught Azula's pause. True to her word, she would never pressure the girl to call her, 'mom'. Maybe someday, but not today. For now she held her daughter giving her as much comfort as she needed.

Azula wiped the rest of the tears from her eyes as she began to stand up. "I'm going to go train now. Thanks, Kya."

"That's what I'm here for, sweetie." Kya gave the girl a reassuring smile before tending to the stew pot again.

Quietly walked back into her makeshift bedroom with Sokka and Katara, Azula grabbed her anorak and broadswords making sure not to wake the other teens. Just as she exited the igloo the sun was just rising above the horizon to the Southern Water Tribes' standards of sun rising when it was almost winter. The only reason she enjoyed winter was because the sun was out longer.

In the end, Hakoda didn't need to make a specialized area for Azula to practice her firebending since the ocean was an open space away from the village. Azula removed her anorak before taking a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried to clear her mind, preparing herself for training. Once she was focused she dropped down into a horse stance and began punching with tension. Gradually her pace increased until there wasn't a second that a fireball wasn't flying from her fists. She remembered how five years ago she wasn't able to go through a series of punches and unable to firebend.

"499. 500!" Azula yelled as the last fireball flew from her fists and hit one of the near by glaciers.

The blood and adrenaline was beginning to rush through her veins. She could hear her heart beat through her eardrums as she tried to control her heart rate by taking longer and deeper breaths than normal. Once her heart rate when back to normal, Azula began to stretch more of her muscles now that she was warmed up.

"Okay… on to kicks." Azula dropped back slightly and started her series of kicks. "Front. Front. Side. Side. Round. Round." She mumbled to herself with each kick. Each transition was done perfectly without pause as she slowly crept closer to the ocean with each kick. Once she reached the edge she would turn, run, and shoulder roll back to her starting place. The transition from the shoulder roll was smooth that the momentum brought her back to her feet as she was ready to continue with the series of kicks.

Each kick had either a fireball or fire arc bending through the open air hitting the glaciers. When she finished her series of kicks, she immediately transitioned into 'Free Form' as Katara called it. Since the only firebending forms she remembered were beginner level, Azula adapted to fighting imaginary enemies around her to figure out different ways she could using her bending in a fight. In the past she sparred with the other men and Sokka, but all the men were gone and Sokka was busy trying to be the man of the village by training the younger boys. Azula gracefully grabbed her broadswords and continued on with her free form. It was only recently that she was able to produce fire through her swords as an extension of herself, she had discovered it by accident while practicing. Though she still couldn't produce fire through her swords on command.

After another failed attempt of trying to produce fire with her swords, Azula let out a deep breath as her morning training came to a close. She picked up her anorak and resheathed her swords before walking back to the village. Balancing between holding her swords and slipping on her anorak again was proving to be a bit of a challenge that she didn't anticipate.

"Morning Azula!"

The firebender lowered her anorak after another failed attempt and smiled. "Niyok! Great timing, hold these please." She handed her swords over to the other Water Tribe girl as she slipped her anorak on. "And morning to you too. Where's Nutha?"

"Still asleep. I heard from Kya that Sokka and Katara were going fishing today and you're not going with them?"

"Sokka and I disagree on our methods of fishing. It's safer for him if I didn't go."

Niyok giggled. "Yeah, probably. Though it must be a little hard on him having two sisters constantly ganging up on him."

"We gang up on him with love. That's why he ends up eating a lot of snowballs." The two giggled. "Well, I best be going. Later, Niyok."

"See ya!"

She glanced around to see a few of the other women had started their morning chores while a couple of kids tried to find something to do. She didn't blame the kids the village had become very quiet and lonely since the men left two years ago.

"C'mon Sokka! Get up!" Katara shouted from inside the igloo.

Azula walked in seeing Katara having a ball of water hover over their brother. She chuckled. "Sokka, I'd listen to Katara if I were you. Otherwise your morning might be a little… damp."

Both girls heard the teenage boy grumble as he rolled over. "I'm warning you, Sokka. You have till the count of three." Katara threatened.

"Three." Azula calmly counted not bothering to count from one.

Katara smiled and let the water drop. "AGAH! Why you-" Sokka shouted before muttering in gibberish.

"Not bad. You were able to hold the water for a while. You're improving." The firebender commented while setting her swords down.

"You're still further along than I am though." Katara replied as she dug through clothes basket like she had earlier that morning.

"To an extent I am." Azula sat down on top of Sokka causing the boy to groan. "But I can't pull fire out from the fireplace or anywhere else as an extra resource. All of the fire I produce comes from me. That's a huge difference right there. Besides I'm trying to figure out how I can incorporate waterbending techniques into my firebending."

"Yeah, yeah. That's great you two are still comparing your bending notes with each other, get off of me!" Sokka exclaimed as he pushed Azula off of him. "Boy, you're getting heavy!" Azula shot the boy a glare causing him move away from her quickly. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Sokka immediately apologized not wanting to eat anymore snowballs.

Azula looked back at Katara and immediately blushed. From where she was now sitting, she had a nice angle of the waterbender's rear. It was after their kiss after the snow ball war all those years ago that she realize she started having feelings for her adopted sister. She initially brushed it off thinking it was her curiosity for her opposite, but it continued to grow stronger and stronger.

"Katara, what are you doing in the clothes basket again? You don't need whatever is in there for the fishing trip. And you!" Azula directed her glance at Sokka. "Get ready. Otherwise you two won't be back before sundown."

"What sundown? It's almost winter, we still have sunlight even at 'night'." Sokka replied with air quotes. "Besides it's not like I can get dried clothes with Katara raiding through the basket. I'm hungry, what's for breakfast?"

"Aha! I found it!" Katara exclaimed.

"What did you find? Was it food?" Sokka asked now fully alert.

The waterbender gave the boy a look of disbelief. "Why would I have food in the clothes basket?"

"Simple. You put a secret stash of food there. That's where I put mine."

"Great! I'll be sure to take it while you and Katara are out fishing today. I might hide it elsewhere or eat it for myself. That's if it is the blubbered seal jerky I know you love so much." Azula teased.

"You wouldn't dare." Sokka challenged as he playfully grabbed the front of Azula's shirt.

Azula sighed. "If you say so."

"Sokka, would you get ready? You said we're leaving after breakfast, now come on!" Katara nagged before grabbing Azula's hand. "C'mon while we wait for Mr. Snail-Sloth here, I want to show you something."

Katara dragged the firebender out of their home towards the wall where they usually go to get some privacy. "How is it that after all these years you're still dragging me everywhere?"

"It's because you let me. And now that we're way from my brother… do you remember what is today?" Katara asked.

"Yeah, it's the day Sokka got his butt kicked by me." Azula replied jokingly. The look from Katara was enough to stop her from laughing. "Sorry, it's um… the day I came to the Southern Water Tribe."

The waterbender smiled sadly and nodded. "I know it wasn't a happy moment from you, but I hope that these past nine years at least made up for it a bit. Here. This is from Gran Gran, Mom, Sokka, and I. We worked on it together." Katara explained while handing a small box to the firebender.

She uncrossed her folded arms and took the box into her hands. Azula slowly opened the box and saw a necklace much like Sokka's but with their tribe's insignia in the middle. "Uh… wow. It's… it's remarkable."

"Sokka engraved the insignia, mom got the materials together, while Gran Gran helped me weave the necklace together. I remembered how much you liked wearing the anorak you were given when you came here since it had the insignia on it. You still wear it on you anorak today even." Katara pointed at the other girl. "You take pride in being a member of the tribe. I thought it would be only appropriate for the necklace to have it as well."

The next thing Katara knew she was drawn into a tight hug. "Thank you. It's amazing. Please help me put it on?" Azula turned around as Katara to tie the necklace together. Once the necklace was around her neck, Azula reached up to feel the pendent. "You do realize I'm never taking this off right?"

"That's what I was hoping for." Katara said proudly. "Let's go back before Sokka thinks of leaving without me."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula stood on top of the wall scouting hoping to see Sokka and Katara appear. The whole village was worried when night had fallen some time ago and the two have yet to return from their fishing trip. They were also worried from that mysterious beam of light that appeared out of nowhere hours prior. She shivered as a light breeze passed from the coast.

"Brrr… it's cold out here." Kya said as she walked up to the firebender.

"I've been getting practice of trying to keep warm, but it's definitely cold."

"This makes me wish the men hadn't left for the war. It's not safe for us to go out and search for them."

"I'm pretty sure Niyok and Nutha would be willing to go with me to search for them. Hakoda trained Sokka and I how to survive out there. I'm sure they'll be fine, at least I hope. I'm more worried about that beam of light from earlier. We don't know if the Fire Nation has any ships around here or not. We're defenseless with all the other warriors gone. They definitely should have trained the women here too. Maybe this is should be brought up at the next council meeting, whenever that happens."

Kya nodded. "I don't think that light had to do with the Fire Nation, but you're right. It could give them excuse to come looking if they are nearby." They both looked out at the horizon again. "I see you like Katara's gift."

Azula smiled. "Well, it wasn't just from Katara from what she told me. Thank you again. It's wonderful and knowing that everyone helped out in making it brings more value to it."

"While we might have all worked on it, the gift was Katara's idea." Kya wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "Mind if I soak up some of your heat?" The two chuckled.

The firebender squinted her eyes as she saw something slowly coming towards the village. "What's that?" Both women saw a fluffy white creature swimming towards them. "That doesn't look like one of the animals from here."

"MOM! AZULA!" Katara shouted while waving her hand.

"It's Katara!" Azula exclaimed as she jumped off the wall to meet up with Katara. "What are you doing on that?"

"His name is Appa. He's a sky bison!" Azula reached up to help the waterbender down. Katara climbed out of the saddle and grabbed hold of Azula's shoulders as she was lifted down onto the ice.

"He's a snot monster, who can supposedly fly, swam all the way here thanks to that airbending kid." Sokka said while jumping off of Appa.

"Yeah… I can see he sneezed on you. You got something on." Azula gestured to the front of his anorak that was still covered by Appa's mucus. "You said an airbender was riding this thing?"

"Yeah he's up on the head." Responded Sokka while he wiped more of the mucus off of him and walked back to the village looking forward to a warm bath.

"He fell asleep on the way here. Azula help me bring him down please." Katara asked while climbing back up Appa.

The firebender followed Katara up the sky bison. She was slowly registering everything that was happening: the mysterious light beams, a sky bison, an airbender, airbending tattoos, and what looked like a quickly packed traveling saddle. Azula took everything into account and came down to one conclusion.

"I wonder… is he the Avatar." Azula whispered to herself.

"What was that Azula?" Katara asked as both of them lowered Aang down towards Kya who had joined them.

"Nothing."

"Katara! We're in for a serious talk young lady! You and your brother."

The waterbender looked at Azula for some help. "Oh no. You guys brought it on yourself. I was getting ready to round up a search party."

She turned back towards her mother and nodded in understanding. "Could you help us get Aang down?"

"That's his name?" Katara nodded. "Do you think he's the Avatar?" Azula asked carefully.

"I asked him on the way over. He said that he didn't know him."

"How did he sound when he said that?"

"Nervous. Unsure. Why? What's with all the questions?"

"Sounds like he's hiding something. I don't trust him." Azula answered as she jumped off Appa's head. To grab hang when Katara lowered him down.

"I think he was just nervous talking to me. We can only imagine what it would be like to talk to someone you just met after being trapped in a giant ice sphere." Katara replied.

"He was trapped in a giant ice sphere?" Azula looked at Kya who shrugged in return. "Katara, what are you talking about?"

"That's what he was in when Sokka and I found him."

"Katara, did that light beam come from where you found Aang?" Azula questioned.

"Yes. It came from the ice sphere he was in after I broke it. Don't tell me you also think he was trying to signal the Fire Nation."

"That thought did run through my mind."

"Argh! I can't believe you and Sokka always thinking the worst in people!" Katara yelled before walking away from Azula to help her mother carry Aang into the village.

Azula stayed behind as she began deducting the many possibilities. "He's the only airbender seen in a hundred years and if the Avatar was killed then they would have been born into one of the Water Tribes. It's a little too convenient that he doesn't know who the Avatar was… He has to be the Avatar there is no way he can't be."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

She continued lying in her sleep bag as she listened to the soft breathing around her. Normally she would have been training, but she didn't feel like it since she had trouble sleeping with everything that was running through her mind. Finally getting annoyed with lying around, she got up quietly trying not to wake the other three occupants of the room. Azula gave Aang an annoyed look as she passed him.

"Morning Kya. Morning Gran Gran."

"Good morning, Azula." Kya greeted while Kanna nodded an acknowledgement. "Did you sleep well?"

"Eeh. I've had better nights."

"Another nightmare?" Kanna asked.

Azula slowly shook her head. "No, just a lot running through my mind. Particularly the airbender. I don't trust him and I think he may the Avatar that disappeared a hundred years ago."

Silence fell between them as they stared at the fire pit. Kanna was the first to speak, "Maybe so, but for now let him rest. How has your firebending coming along?"

"Okay I guess. It's been mainly trial and error seeing what I can do with my firebending. I'm currently struggling with firebending with my swords. I'm sure that'll come in handy if I can get it to work. Also, I've been trying to incorporate waterbending into my firebending as well."

"Oh?" Kya was curious now. "That's interesting, what made you want to try?"

"Firebending is very offensive while waterbending is primarily defensive. It'll make more sense to have a balance between the two. If for whatever reason we come across other firebender they would not be expecting their fire to be redirected at them."

Kanna smiled. "All true, but waterbending can be just as aggressive as firebending if the bender knows what to do. Have you been able to bend your fire like waterbending or have you only been practicing the few waterbending forms I've shown Katara?"

"Both? I can easily do the push and pull motion with my fire, but redirecting towards someone as an attack is still a little difficult. It's just different from firebending."

"Come with me child, I want to show you an advance waterbending form that my friend, Hama, taught me when we were younger. I'm sure you'll find a way to use it to your advantage."

"Or I could use whatever Hakoda has taught me, but I'm not going to turn away learning something new. Should I wake Katara?"

"No, let her sleep. I'm sure you'll teach it to her later." Azula followed Kanna outside the tribe's walls to where she usually trains. "What I want you to do is bend your fire as if it was water while going through the form. Even though water is your natural opposite and it's known for being peaceful and calm, but it can be as aggressive as fire too. Well, don't just stand there."

Azula shook her head and began mimicking Kanna's movements while concentrating on bending her fire like water. After moving through the forms a few times, she was able to control her fire to concentrate on the movements.

"You're still a little stiff. Relax think of the water and how it flows. Better. I'll just leave you to practice." Kanna slowly walked away from her granddaughter. She smiled at the thought, amazed how she once wanted nothing to do with the girl who had became part of her family.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula finished the form one last time, taking a deep breath and slowly releasing it as the fire she had been bending gently disperse. When she looked back to the village she saw that the airbender was gliding in the air. For whatever reason he had a big smile on his face, that was until he crashed into Sokka's watchtower. She could faintly hear her brother's scream. By the time Azula finally joined the rest of the village, Sokka was buried under a huge bank of snow.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender, and Azula's a firebender. Together you can just waste time all day long." Sokka exclaimed.

"Firebender? What's a firebender doing here in the South Pole?" Aang asked, not aware that Azula was behind him.

"Because I happen to live here."

Aang jumped up into the air. When he finally landed he sheepishly bowed an apology. "Sorry."

"Alright, no more playing. Come on, Katara, you have chores. Azula, you too." Gran Gran announced while guiding Katara away from Aang.

Azula stayed behind staring at Aang. "Um, is something the matter?" Aang asked.

"Yeah… think fast." Azula threw a fireball at the airbender.

As she suspected, Aang caught the ball of fire and confirmed her suspicions. If she wasn't carefully watching him, it would have looked as if Aang hadn't caught her fire ball. But he did and dropped it immediately trying to not get caught.

"How old are you?"

"I'm twelve."

"Aren't you a little young to be the Avatar?" Azula asked casually.

"Uh…" Aang slowly started backing away from her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I knew people who knew him, but I didn't know him personally."

Azula narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure you didn't." She grabbed hold of Aang's shirt and pulled him in towards her. "Let me make this very clear to you, I know you're the Avatar whether you want to deny it or not. If the Avatar died, he or she would have been reborn into the next cycle. You're an airbender, but I saw you were able to catch my fire. Only the Avatar can bend all four elements. You have a lot to own up for why you disappeared and let this war happen. This war has affected many lives and I would probably still have my family if you didn't disappear."

"What are you talking about? I've only been gone for a few days." Aang responded as he airbended his way out of Azula's grasp.

"A few days?" Azula let out a half-hearted laugh. "You have until tonight to tell the village you're the Avatar or I will. You better have a good excuse for why you've been gone this long." Azula threatened as she shoved Aang into the snow before walking away.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

By the time Azula had finished helping Kya make lunch and dinner, she walked out of the igloo looking for Katara. She saw the waterbender walking over to Sokka and the other boys. The smile she had on her face quickly faded when she saw Aang crawled out of the igloo bathroom stall.

"Wow! Everything freezes in there!" she heard Aang exclaimed. She couldn't understand how he can be so carefree and not taking the war seriously.

"Ugh! Katara, get him out of here. This lesson is for warriors only." Sokka shouted.

"Oh, so that means I can help you train them? Because it looks like you're failing to even control them, Sokka." Azula commented as she walked up to her siblings.

"No, you can't. This is a lesson for male warriors only!"

"Why you!" Azula grabbed hold of Sokka's anorak.

Sokka naturally grabbed hold of the firebenders anorak as a defense. The two warriors struggled to try and punch the other while preventing the one person from throwing a punch.

"Weeee!" The two warriors overheard. Azula and Sokka stopped what they were doing to see the kids sliding down Appa's back with the help of Aang.

"Argh!" Sokka shoved Azula away from him. "Stop! Stop it right now!" What is wrong with you? We dont' have time for fun and games with a war going on!"

"What war?" Aang asked as he hopped down from Appa. "This is the second time I've heard about this war. First Azula, and now you."

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka asked.

Just as Aang was about to respond something behind Sokka caught his eye. "PENGUIN!" Aang shouted as he used his airbending and sprinted after the otter-penguin. Leaving the three Water Tribe teenagers with the young boys.

"He's kidding, right?" Sokka asked again.

"No, he's not." Azula looked over at the boys seeing them still sliding down Appa's back. "Are you sure you don't need the only female warrior's help training those runts?"

Sokka glared at his training partner. "Fine. You can help, but you're just assisting."

Azula smirked. She knew a few minutes into it she would be taking over for him.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"None of you are leaving until you finish doing ten squats, twenty sit ups, fifteen push ups, and thirty jumping jacks. You have to do all of those in that order!" Azula instructed to the young boys.

Every boy groaned. "Groan again and I'll make you repeat it. You're never going to be warriors if you don't have the strength training. This is nothing compared to what Sokka and I went through at your age."

"Wow, you are tougher on them than I am." Sokka observed.

"That's the point. They weren't respecting you very well with all their excuses to use the restroom. I don't care how much they hate me, they'll thank me in the future." Azula looked up at the sky.

"You know we hadn't sparred each other in a while. How about after dinner?"

"Heh, are you sure you want to be beaten by a girl again?"

"I've been letting you win!" Sokka defended.

"If you say so." Azula teased back.

Suddenly they heard a loud boom. Both Azula and Sokka looked up towards the sky. They saw a flare shooting up to its zenith and exploding to a small shower of sparks.

"What's going on out here?" Kya asked as she and Kanna exited the igloo.

They saw where Azula and Sokka were staring at and looked to the sky as well. "That flare had to have come from the abandoned ship." Kanna concluded.

"It's the airbender! He's signaling the Fire Nation. I knew he was bad news."

Azula's eyes narrowed. "That idiot. Wait… Sokka where's Katara?"

"She went to go find the traitor earlier." Sokka growled.

"Katara, you better watch your back and get here quickly." Azula whispered to herself worried about the waterbender. "He had to have set that trap off. The Avatar is a fool."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The whole village rushed just outside the village walls waiting for Katara and Aang to return. While the villagers waited, Sokka and Azula helped each other climb up one of the glaciers close to the village.

"Remember to look for a ship. They might not have their engines on so we can't depend on looking for smoke." Azula reminded Sokka.

"Got it."

"Spirits, I hope there aren't any Fire nation ships near here. We're completely defenseless with all the Wolf Warriors away in the Earth Kingdom."

"You know, it's a good thing I grew up with you. Otherwise I don't think I'd ever have been a friend with you. You know being born from the Fire Nation and all."

Azula smirked. "We can only imagine what would have happened to us if the Fire Lord didn't overthrow the previous Fire Lord. Hey, Sokka, hand me the telescope."

Sokka tossed the telescope to the female warrior. She brought the scope up to her eye. Azula stared at the subject in the scope's sight trying to determine if it was a glacier or a ship. She saw an orange glow coming from the top of the object.

"Not good."

"What?"

"Look carefully at the direction I'm looking at now. It's very faint, but I know that's a Fire Nation ship. I saw the glow of the flames coming from the smokestack." Azula tossed the telescope behind her for Sokka to catch.

The male warrior caught it with ease and looked through the telescope, it took him a while but he too saw the ship. "I can't tell if they're coming towards us or if they had seen the flare."

"Let me see again." Azula got on her stomach to her the glacier to help stabilize her arm. "No, I think they did see the flare and are moving slowly trying to get a surprise attack on us. At the pace they're going, they'll probably be here by night fall."

"And looked who decided to show up." Sokka replied angrily.

Azula looked up from the telescope to see what Sokka was looking at, Aang and Katara were making their way towards the village. Both warriors carefully slid down the glacier and ran to where everyone else was.

When they arrived the children were cheering. "Yay! Aang's back!"

Sokka stepped forward and pointed his finger at Aang. "I knew it! You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara defended.

"Yeah, we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well-"

"You're an idiot for even stepping on that ship. Katara, what were you thinking? You know we're forbidden to go on it!" Azula shouted.

"Don't blame Katara!" Azula turned her glare to the airbender. "I brought her there." Aang looked down not able to handle Azula's fiery glare. "It's my fault."

"The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy!" Sokka ordered. All the children whined as they walked away. "The foreigner is banned from our village!"

"We're not going to banish him, Sokka." Azula argued.

"What? Why not?"

"Because Aang has something he would like to share with the rest of us. Don't you, Aang?"

"I'm sorry… I can't." Aang continued looking away from everyone.

"Get out of our village. Now!" Sokka shouted.

"Sokka, calm down." Kya suggested to her son.

"Grandmother, please! Don't let Sokka do this." Katara begged.

Kanna closed her eyes. "Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think it best if the airbender leaves." she said gloomily.

"Then I'm banished too!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Azula asked.

"To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole!" Katara replied angrily towards the firebender.

"Katara!" Kya shouted as the waterbender froze. She couldn't bear turning around to see her mother trying to stop her. "I know how much wanting to learn how to waterbend means to you, but would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family? Honey, you don't even know him."

Aang looked between Katara and the rest of the village. "Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family."

"And yet you forget your duty to the world, Avatar!" Azula shouted.

Everyone in the village fell silent. "Azula, what are you talking about?" Kya asked.

"He is the Avatar. Aang, the only airbender to have been seen in a hundred years is the Avatar." Azula announced to the whole village. "If he wasn't then the next Avatar would have been found when he or she was born into the Water Tribe. But the Avatar hasn't appeared within these last hundred years, your words."

She turned her attention back towards Aang. "Now, listen carefully, Avatar. That flare you set off caught the eyes of the Fire Navy. They think they have the element of surprise on their side. They're moving slowly through the ice so they wouldn't be spotted with all the smoke that could have come from their smokestack if they were going full speed. You, Sokka, Katara, and I are going to take care of that ship. The sooner we get the Fire Navy off our shores the better. We're completely defenseless, we have to strike them. Avatar, I suggest you don't airbend when we ambush them, they don't know you're here." Azula instructed. "Sokka."

"I'm on it. Everyone else please get back in the village. We'll try to handle this." Sokka started guiding most of the women and children back into the village.

Katara and Aang stood by Appa. Azula walked up to them. "Katara…" The firebender reached out towards the waterbender.

"Don't touch me. Tell me though, how long have you known Aang was the Avatar?" Katara asked.

"Since last night. There were too many factors making it too much of a coincidence for him to not be the Avatar. I did give him most of the day to tell everyone, but he didn't." Azula glared at Aang again. "Look we can deal with this later. Right now we need to ambush the Fire Nation ship."

"This doesn't make sense. I've accepted the fact that I've been in the iceberg for over a hundred years, but why would the Fire Nation be attacking other nations? Why would you, a member of the Fire Nation, come to live in the Southern Water Tribe? Not that there is anything wrong with that, just unheard of…" Aang asked.

"I don't know why the Fire Nation started attacking the other nations, but they have. And they wiped out all the Air Nomads, you're the first one seen in a hundred years… which is why I suggested you don't airbend when we ambush the ship. The last thing we need is the Fire Nation to come after us because we have the last airbender." Azula explained. "Also, even though I am of Fire Nation birth, I've lived in the Southern Water Tribe for most of my life. This is my home."

"Alright ready to go?" Sokka asked. The tension between the three benders tightened. "Okay… let's go."

"Aang, can Appa fly?" Katara asked as she climbed up the sky bison's back.

"Don't." Azula quickly replied. "We can't fly, it'll give us away before we get anywhere close to the ship. The Fire Navy will be looking towards the sky and land close to the village."

Katara grumbled. "Fine, whatever."

"Okay, I'll listen to what you think will be best, Azula." Aang said as he grabbed the reins.

"How fast can Appa walk?" Azula asked.

"Not very fast."

"Argh. That's not good. We shouldn't be in the water also. Think Appa can hover above the ground, but be close to the ground as he possibly can?" Azula asked while becoming impatient.

"Let's see. Appa, yip yip!"

Appa groaned a little and started walking the direction the Fire Nation ship was coming from. Azula's eye twitched in annoyance. It took a couple of hours before the teens and Appa met up with the Fire Nation ship.

"Aang. Put this anorak on. We need to hide your tattoos." Azula ordered.

"So what's the plan?" Aang asked as he put the anorak on.

"We simply ambush them and watch each others' back." Azula said as she tossed a grappling hook up towards the edge of the ship. It hooked right on the first try. She tugged it to make sure it was going to withstand the weight of four teenagers.

Once she was positive that it was going to stay, Azula began climbing up the side of the ship. Aang followed right behind, then Katara, and Sokka was last. Azula looked over the edge of the ship to make sure there weren't any soldiers patrolling the area. She could hear her heart beating in her eardrums. Azula ducked below the rim when she heard footsteps walking by. The firebender pressed her ear up against the metal waiting for the soldier to walk far enough she could jump him from behind. Just as she was about to jump she quickly ducked again for another soldier came walking by.

"You remember how I told you not to airbend?" Azula whispered.

"Yeah…"

"Forget I said that. We need to take them out now!" Azula jumped from the edge and tackled the closets soldier near her.

Back up came running to aid the fallen soldier. Azula unsheathed her swords and got into a fighting position prepared to fight them. She stayed where she was as the soldiers charged towards her. Aang jumped from the edge of the ship and airbended an airblast towards a group of soldiers. Soon enough both Sokka and Katara were fighting all the soldiers and firebenders who were attacking them. Just as a fire blast was about to hit Katara in the face it was deflected. Azula had barely made it in placing her swords in front of Katara to protect her. The firebender smoothly circled around the waterbender and started attacking the firebending soldiers. One soldier was knocked into a barrel where water fell out. Katara took a deep breath. She shifted her weight back, lifted some water up and aimed towards the soldiers who were attacking Azula. The waterbender threw her arms forward hoping for the water to freeze on the soldiers, but realized she accidentally bended the water backwards and froze Sokka's feet.

"Katara!"

Azula quickly knocked out the soldiers and ran over towards Sokka who was busy trying to get himself out of the ice.

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang; I didn't ask for all this magic."

"Oh, shut up!" Azula shouted as she fired a small fireball towards the ice. The ice quickly melted and Sokka wa free. "C'mon we need to get out of here!"

The four teenagers ran to the bowsprit of the ship. Aang looked down and saw Appa getting ready to catch them.

"You have nowhere else to go!" shouted one of the soldiers.

"Sure we do. Jump!" Sokka replied as all four of them jumped off the ship and onto Appa's saddle.

"Appa, don't fail us now buddy, yip yip!" Aang yelled desperately. Appa groaned as he began to speed up. Before they knew it they were in the air flying as fast as they could away from the Fire Nation ship.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun was beginning to rise when the four teens finally arrived back in the village. The had to fly as far away from the naval ship to trick them into thinking they flew further north. They hid behind a big glacier until the ship went out of sight and they slowly backtracked towards the village.

"Thank goodness!" Kya ran up to the four teens and hugged two at a time. "When you didn't come back last I night I thought they had captured you."

"We're fine, mom. We just need some food and sleep." Sokka said as they walked back into the igloo.

Azula walked past the fireplace and collapsed onto her sleeping bag. She had a headache that was only growing stronger with the light. She pulled her hood over her face to block out the sun and fire's light and tried to fall asleep. Just as she was about to doze off she felt someone squeeze her hand.

"Thanks, Azula. For last night when you blocked the fire from hitting me." Katara said as she laid on top of her sleeping bag. She smiled when she felt Azula squeezed back.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day, Aang began packing again. "Just think buddy, we haven't been home in a hundred years. Wow, I hadn't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that."

Appa groaned agreeing with Aang.

"Aang." The airbender looked over hoping it was Katara, but jumped when he saw Azula. "Don't worry. I'm not here to fight you. I just came to apologize for the way I acted yesterday."

"It's alright."

"No, it wasn't. I held in so much anger for so long I just blew it off on you. There is a reason I'm in the South Pole. I was brought here because of something that happened in the Fire Nation nine years ago. I just… wished some things never happened and I kept thinking it probably wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been frozen." Azula explained.

"Just so we're clear… you were born in the Fire Nation, right? Why would the Fire Nation attack their own people? That doesn't make any sense!" Aang asked.

Azula climbed on top of Appa's head so she didn't feel like she was being looked down upon. "Yes, I was born in the Fire Nation. And from what I understood the current Fire Lord only attacked the Fire Nation capital to overthrow the previous Fire Lord." She tooked a deep breath to calm herself. "But, we'll never know how different the world would have been if you didn't disappear. What I do know is that you seem familiar to me as if I've known you before yesterday. That's impossible though."

"Spiritual connection, maybe? That's not unheard of at least to me it isn't." Both of them shrugged their shoulders.

"Aang! Azula!" Katara waved as she came running towards them. "Aang, you're the Avatar, right? So, I've been wondering why haven't you bent the other elements yet?"

"I was frozen before I was taught how to bend the other elements. I never wanted to be the Avatar."

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war." Katara explained.

"And how am I going to do that?"

"According to legend, you need to master water, then earth, then fire." Azula pointed out.

"That's what the monks told me."

Katara smiled. "Well, if we go to the North Pole you can master waterbending."

That brought a smile to Aang's face. "We can learn it together! Azula, you and I can learn firebending together after I learn earthbending!"

"Then we're in this together." Katara said proudly.

"And what? Are you three just going to leave me behind?" Sokka asked.

"No, because I'm pretty sure we'll be running into more Fire Nation soldiers. I'm sure you'll enjoy knocking their heads on our way to the Northern Water Tribe." Azula suggested as she jumped down.

"I'd like that. I'd really like that." Sokka responded somewhat dreamily.

"What are you three up to?"

Azula, Katara, and Sokka all turned around to face Kanna and Kya trying to look innocent. The two older women returned the smile.

"You'll need these." Kya said as she handed three bundles of sleeping bags to the three teens. "You have a long journey ahead of you."

"It's been so long since I've had hope. My little waterbender, you brought that hope back. Aang is the Avatar. He's the world's only chance. You're destinies are to help him become a fully realized Avatar." Kanna gave Katara a tight hug.

"Sokka, take care of your sister." Kya said as she hugged her son.

"Yeah… okay, mom."

"Azula? A word please." Kanna asked. The firebender looked at Katara and Sokka before walking off with Kanna. "Azula, as you know when you first arrived here I had my doubts about you. But I've watched you grown to the young woman you are today. I have seen your struggles trying to be accepted by the tribe, you even helped Tsukihiro with his ice dodging ritual to prove yourself. If I had any other lingering doubts yesterday showed me where your loyalty lies. I know your heart is in the right place. The Southern Water Tribe will always be your home."

"Thank you, Gran Gran." Azula bowed before hugging Kanna.

Kya opened her arms and walked towards Azula to hug the firebender. "Watch over Sokka and Katara for me. I'm going to miss all three of you, my children."

"I will, Kya." Azula released herself from the hug and began walking towards Appa. She stopped before dropping her sleeping bag and running back towards Kya hugging even tighter than a few moments earlier. "Thank you for everything. I love you, mom. If we run into dad, I'll let him know you miss him too."

When she pulled away she gave a teary smile to Kya seeing tears trailing down her mother's cheek. Kya kissed Azula's forehead. "I love you too, my little firebender."

Azula wiped away the rest of her tears as she went back towards Appa. Sokka helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Safe travel for all of you. PLease, visit if you somehow end up near here." Kya calmly suggested, tears still falling down her face.

"Appa, yip yip."

"Bye mom! Bye Gran Gran!" Katara shouted as they started flying away.

When the village was out of sight Katara turned her attention back to the center of the saddle where everyone was staring at a map that Aang had laid out.

"What's the map for?" Katara asked.

"We need to take care of some serious business before I started learning how to waterbend. We need to go here, here, and here." Aang pointed to three different locations on the map.

"What are we going to be doing there?" Azula asked.

"Here we'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaaay over here we'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!" Aang explained ecstatically.

Azula leaned over the saddle only half paying attention to what Aang was saying. "It's going to be a while before we see the Northern Water tribe, isn't it?" She rhetorically asked.

Katara smiled and leaned onto Azula while hugged the firebender from behind. "Oh, c'mon, lighten up. It won't hurt having fun for a while now would it?"

"Those things Aang wants to do are fun until someone, most likely Sokka, gets hurt."

The waterbender just continued holding onto Azula and smile. Both girls were content with the others company thinking about what is in store for them. "Why were you and mom crying earlier?"

The firebender smiled and turned to look at Katara. "I finally called her 'mom'." Katara smiled feeling warm how much Azula means to her and her family.

"So… what would you do for fun if you don't like Aang's ideas." Katara asked.

"Fulfilling my promise i made you two years ago. I need to teach you how to fight without bending so you can kick Sokka's butt." Azula said with pride.

"Finally we also need to go to Omashu. They have these delivery chutes that are actually the world's largest roller coasters!" Aang said happily while remembering the many times he and his friend, Bumi, had created trouble from riding down the delivery chutes.

"Though, as much fun as it would be to teach you how to fight. That delivery chute sounds really fun." Azula told Katara while briefly looking over at Aang.

Katara couldn't help but laugh. "What else is on your mind?"

"How fluffy Appa is."

"Oooh. I know your weak spot now." Katara said while hugging the firebender tighter.

"I don't have a weak spot."

"Yes, you do. You have a weak spot for fluffy animals. Maybe I should call you 'Fluffy' from now on!"

"Please… don't." Azula begged as Katara laid her head on the firebender's shoulder.

The waterbender leaned in toward Azula's ear. "Your secret is safe with me."

Azula couldn't help but blush.


	6. The Southern Air Temple and The Warriors of Kyoshi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another combined chapter of the original versions with some edits or additional scenes. Longer Note at the end of chapter. Also a little nerdy easter egg is in this chapter (not Avatar related) let me know if you found it!
> 
> Disclaimer: Disclaimer from the Prologue still applies.

She felt a hand placed on her shoulder to wake her up. Azula being barely awake looked to see who was waking her up.

"Mom?"

"Azula, sweetie, wake up." Ursa urged her daughter.

"Mom, what's going on?"

"Sweetie, I don't have time to explain. We need to get out of here." Ursa lifted her daughter out of bed. There was smoke starting to seep into the bedroom.

"Mom."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The firebender slowly breathed in and out trying to control her breathing. It took her a while to realize that there was weight on her chest. Heat rose to her cheeks as Katara snuggled even more onto Azula. A small blush crept onto her face before she slowly peeled the waterbender off of her.

The sun was starting to rise as Azula walked over to the small lakeshore. She took a deep breath before producing a small fireball. Azula concentrated on her firebending as she started through the waterbending form Kanna taught her. As she stepped out to raise her arms slightly above her head and back down a small firewall was made.

Azula heard water splashed unnaturally and was being bended at the corner of her eye. The firebender smirked when Katara began following the steps Azula was doing.

Katara lost control of the water a few times before she began to lose her temper. "Oh, shoot. Argh, why can't I bend the water properly?"

"You need to bend your wrists more." Azula walked up behind Katara and placed her hands over the waterbender's. "You've been watching me firebend too much and are trying to force the water to move. Keep in mind how water moves, it flows wherever it wants. Feel the water Katara. Water is part of you just like fire is part of me, I would never be able to control it if I didn't feel the fire."

Both benders shifted their weights back and forth. Moving in a push and pull motion. At some point Katara had bended water out of the lake and bent it to the push and pull motion.

"You're a good teacher Azula." Katara commented. "I could never be as good as you. You're a prodigy."

"Just wait until we get to the North Pole and find you a master. I'm sure you'll be the best student there is. You never had a teacher. My uncle taught me a few basic lessons before I lived in the Southern Water Tribe." Azula let go of Katara's hands and backed away.

"See you got it Katara! We'll slowly work through that form Gran Gran taught me. We might also need to work at night." Azula suggested.

"That would be great! Thanks Azula!" Katara dropped the water and hugged the firebender tightly.

"Morning!" Aang shouted as he jumped off of Appa!

Azula and Katara separated to greet Aang. "Today is the day will reach the Southern Air Temple! Can we please pack quickly? I really want to see my home as soon as possible!"

The three of them began packing their campsite for their trip to the Southern Air Temple.

"Wait 'till you see it, Katara. The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world." Aang said excitedly while adjusting the reins on Appa's horns.

"Aang, I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years you've been home." Katara told the airbender cautiously.

"That's why I'm so excited!"

"What Katara is trying to say is that a lot can change during the last hundred years." Azula explained.

"I know, but I need to see it for myself."

Katara and Azula looked at each other afraid of what Aang would do when he found out.

"Well, better wake up Sokka!" Aang hopped off of Appa. "Wake up, Sokka! Air Temple here we come!"

Sokka woke up just long enough to make groggy sounds towards Aang before rolling back over. "Sleep now… temple later…" he mumbled. The warrior rolled back over and began snoring again.

"Watch and learn Aang. The key to waking Sokka up that does not involve bending." Azula picked up a stick.

She took a deep breath before shouting, "Sokka! Wake up! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!" She ran the stick up and down Sokka's sleeping bag.

The warrior's eyes shot open jumped around his sleeping bag screaming. "Aaahh! Get it off! Get it off! Aaahhh! Oof!" Sokka tripped and fell on his face.

When he looked up he saw Aang and Katara laughing at him, and Azula had a mischievous look on her face as she tossed the stick that was in her hand. He growled at the firebender.

"Great! You're awake. Let's go." Azula grabbed Sokka from his sleeping bag and easily lifted him up.

"Why do you have the need to wake me up that way?" he asked as he tossed his sleeping bag up to his sister.

"It's the only way to wake you up. Unless you want Katara to splash you with more water, I'm sure she'll happily oblige."

Sokka just grumbled and climbed on top of Appa.

"Okay, everybody ready?" Aang asked while looking back onto the saddle. Once he saw Azula take her seat in the saddle he turned back facing the horizon. "Alright Appa, yip yip!"

Appa grunted and lifted off the ground flying north.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

About a few hours later, Sokka began looking in his stuff for food. It was quiet until everyone heard Sokka's stomach growl loudly.

"Hey, stomach, be quiet, all right? I'm trying to find us some food." He said annoyingly to his stomach. He found his food bag feeling how light it was he dumped all the contents out only to have a few crumbs come out. "Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?"

"Don't look at me. I learned quickly when we were younger not to touch your food." Azula defended as she held her hands up.

"That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry." Aang apologized.

"You WHAT?" Sokka screamed.

"Oh, no wonder the flames smelled so good." Azula thought out loud.

"Hey, you guys look! There's the Patola Mountain Range! We're almost there!" Aang shouted excitedly.

"Aang?" Katara said uneasily. "Before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders."

"Katara, I know you and Azula keep telling me the Fire Nation wiped them out a hundred years ago. But I seriously think they escaped, stayed in hiding for a while, and returned when they knew they were safe from the Fire Nation. Besides the only way to get to an airbender temple is on a flying bison, and I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison. Right, Appa?"

Appa grunted in agreement as Aang rubbed his head.

"We're almost there! Appa, yip yip!"

The sky bison began to fly them higher and higher. Azula, Katara, and Sokka grabbed hold of the saddle to be prevented from being blown off from the wind. Appa flew over a rocky outcropping and treetops to reveal the amazing sighting of the Southern Air Temple.

"There it is! The Southern Air Temple."

"Whoa!" Sokka and Azula awed.

"Aang, it's amazing!" Katara complimented.

Aang smiled widely. "We're home, buddy. We're home." He said, loud enough for just Appa to hear.

Appa landed on a large landing platform that had a path leading up to the temple. Before any of the Water Tribe teens could get down, Aang jumped off of Appa's head and started running up the path.

Azula, Sokka, and Katara kept walking behind Aang as they looked around the temple. Azula observed seeing a lot of burn marks and scratches on some of the temple's stone. She didn't know why but she had a twisted feeling of sadness and pride seeing the damages on the temple.

"So where do I get something to eat?" Sokka asked while he clutched his stomach illustrating his hunger.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple and all you can think about is food?"

"Hey, I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka brushed off.

By the time the caught up to Aang, the airbender was standing at the edge of the path looking below.

"That's where my friends and I would play airball. And… over there would be where the bison would sleep… and…" Aang trailed off on his tour.

"What's wrong?" Azula asked.

"This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed." Aang looked lost as he stared out of what used to be a lively home.

The three Water Tribe teens looked at each other.

Sokka stepped forward closer to Aang. "So, uh, this airball game? How do you play?"

Aang gave a big smile.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"OOF!"

Azula winced when Sokka hit the ground hard for the seventh time.

"Hahaha! Aang seven, Sokka zero! Alright, Azula your turn!"

The firebender climbed her way to the top of the pillars to the airball field. She got in a ready position as Aang dropped kick the airball sending it high into the air. When the ball dropped to where Aang wanted he kicked the ball with a roundhouse kick sending if soaring towards Azula faster than the previous kick. 

Azula's eyes were flying left to right quickly following the ball’s movements. She jumped and turning three hundred and sixty degrees and made contact with the ball. Her footing was off when she landed on one of the pillars and began falling to the ground.

She just barely caught hold of two of the pillars and landed in a down push-up position.

"Wow, good job Azula. You're the first non-airebender to score a goal!" Aang cheered.

"Great." Azula mumbled as she slowly climbed her way down.

"Aang, there's something you need to see." Katara called out.

"Okay!" Aang easily jumped off the airball field and went running to Katara and Sokka.

By the time Azula got down, Sokka was covered in a heap of snow that Katara had waterbended on him. Before the snow covered him she saw the Fire Nation helmet. Katara came up with a quick mediocre lie. Azula wasn't too surprised that Aang was gullible enough to fall for the lie.

"You know you can't protect him forever." Azula warned Katara as she pulled her anorak back on.  
"Katara, firebenders were here. You can't pretend they weren't." Sokka argued.

"I can for Aang's sake." Katara retorted as she walked away from them.

Azula quickly grabbed her swords and ran to catch up with the waterbender. "Katara, he's in denial. I flat out told him they wiped out the Air Nomads, but he just won't accept it. He needs to get it through his head that he is the last airbender. The other airbenders did not survive."

"Hey guys!" Aang broke up Azula and Katara's argument. "I want you to meet somebody."

"Who's that?" Sokka asked.

"Monk Gyatso, the greatest airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang introduced the statue of his mentor to his friends before bowing.

After a while Katara walked up to Aang and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must miss him."

"Yeah." He said dryly. "Um, what's wrong with Azula?"

Azula had a puzzling look on her face as she stared at Monk Gyatso's statue. She couldn't explain it but she felt some sort of bond with the statue.

"Azula?" Katara slightly shook the firebender.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." Azula shook her head a little.

"Is something wrong?" Katara asked.

"No. But this is going to sound a little strange. I know I wasn't born over a hundred years ago like Aang, yet I feel something very familiar about Monk Gyatso."

"May be you have some spiritual connection with him!" Aang assumed proudly.

The firebender just shrugged. "And where are you going?" She asked noticing Aang was walking deeper into the temple.

Aang continued climbing the steps. "The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet."

Azula, Sokka, and Katara followed Aang deeper into the temple until they came across a huge wooden door. The door contained three enormous woodcut air symbols arranged in a triangular pattern with horns at the bottom. There were several tubes attached to the woodcut.

"But Aang… no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara objected.

"It's not impossible. I survived in the iceberg for that long."

"Good point."

"Frozen in an iceberg is different than staying in one room for a hundred years." Azula whispered to Sokka.

"… Whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!"

Sokka suddenly rushed over to Aang. "And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious, cured meats!" He rushed up to the door and slammed into it. The warrior strained against the door hoping for it to budge to no avail and slid down in defeat. "I don't suppose you have a key?"

"The key, Sokka, is airbending."

Aang took a deep breath as he raised both of his arms. He forcefully pushed forward with his arms and stepped forward airbending two jets of air into the horns at the bottom of the woodcut. Air ran through the tubes flipping the air symbols one by one. Once all the locks had turned over the doors opened to reveal the darkness of the Air Temple Sanctuary.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Aang called.

Everyone walked into the sanctuary to come into the presence of many statues arranged in a specific pattern. The pattern of the statures her formed in a swirling line wrapping around the room rising higher and higher.

"Statues!" That's it? Where's the meat?"

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked looking at many of the statues.

"You're joking right?" Azula asked in disbelief.

"Should I be?" Katara asked back to the firebender.

"All these statues are obviously Aang's past lives. They're past Avatars." Azula looked up seeing the spiral going higher than she originally thought. She took a deep breath and shot a fire stream up towards the ceiling making sure not to hit any of the statues.

They all hung their mouths. There didn't seem to be an end to the spiral of Avatar statues and Azula's fire was nowhere near the ceiling. "Wow! There's so many!" Aang awed.

"Agni! There are easily over nine thousand years worth of Avatar lives." Azula responded in amazement as she distinguished her stream of fire.

"C'mon you guys can't be serious about all these past lives right?" Sokka asked skeptically.

Azula and Aang walked up to the most recent installed Avatar statue, as Katara was busy arguing with Sokka. The Avatar they were staring at was a firebender. They stared at his eyes being hypnotized by them as if he was trying to tell them something. Azula raised her eyebrows slightly when she saw a glint of light pass the Avatar's eyes.

Katara walked up behind them and placed a hand on their shoulder. "Aang, Azula, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" They both snapped out of their daze.

"Who's that?" Katara asked.

The firebender responded first. "That's Avatar Roku."

"The Avatar before me." Aang continued off of Azula.

Both Sokka and Katara looked at the two awkwardly. "You were a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

Azula glared at Sokka and smacked Sokka's stomach with the back of her fist hard enough that he doubled over.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!" Sokka screamed as Azula rolled her eyes at him.

"There's no writing. How do you two know his name?" Katara wondered.

Aang and Azula quickly looked at each other to see if they had the answer. "I don't think even we know." Aang responded.

Sokka growled, "You two couldn't get any weirder."

Suddenly all three of them sensed a presence of another living being at the entrance. They quickly hid behind two of the statues closest to the doors. Aang and Sokka were behind one while Azula and Katara hid behind the other.

"Firebender. Nobody make a sound." Sokka whispered.

"You're making a so-mmpf!" Azula placed her hand over Katara's mouth to silence the waterbender quickly. With her other hand Azula put a finger up to her lips telling Katara to stay quiet.

Azula looked over at Sokka making sure she had his attention. The nodded at each other understanding they were on the same page. Azula held three fingers out and counted down to one. When she got to zero both Sokka and Azula jumped out from their hiding places ready to strike the Firebender. They both froze. Instead of seeing a Fire Nation soldier they saw a small creature.

Aang looked out from his hiding spot when he didn't see the two warriors attack.

"Lemur!" the airbender shouted.

"Dinner…" Sokka drooled.

"Don't listen to him! You're going to be my new pet." Aang leaped out from the statue and began running towards the lemur.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka challenged also running towards the lemur.

The lemur screeched and ran out of the sanctuary with the two boys after it. Katara and Azula could both hear they shouting down the hall.

"Wait! Come back!" Aang called out.

Just when they thought they heard the last of them they heard Sokka shout, "I wanna eat you!"

"I hope Aang gets a hold of that lemur. It'd be a waste if Sokka ate that small fluffy animal, that animal was kind of cute."

Azula blushed when she heard Katara laugh. "The fluffiness strikes again. Careful Azula it just might be the end of you." The waterbender playfully warned.

"That will be a terrible way to die. Death by Overdose of Fluffiness." Azula responded also playfully.

Katara giggled. "All jokes aside. How did you know Avatar Roku's name?"

"I really don't know. I had the same feeling I did with Monk Gyatso's statue, but Avatar Roku the feeling is stronger. I feel a closer connection to Avatar Roku than I do with Monk Gyatso." Azula stared up into Avatar Roku's statue's eyes again. "I can't help but feel as if Avatar Roku has something to do with my past. Instead of answers, I'm getting more questions." Azula felt Katara squeeze her hand. They stayed silent trying to feel the presence of the past Avatars.

They both jumped when they saw Avatar Roku's eyes light up followed by all the other Avatar's eyes in order from Avatar Roku in succession. Both girls stared at the eyes until they realized what was happening.

"Aang!"

The two benders ran out of the sanctuary towards the courtyard. Katara was blown back by the gust of wind. Azula caught the waterbender and helped push forward.

"Over there!" Azula pointed towards the courtyard that used to have decayed tents set up.

Both girls quickly, but carefully worked their way down to the courtyard. When they made it to the courtyard Aang was in a wind sphere that was getting stronger and stronger. Katara was knocked back only to be caught by Azula until the got behind some rubble. A windblast into their faces causing them to shield their faces.

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso." Sokka shouted back.

"I knew this was going to happen. He got wrapped up in his denial that when reality hit him is Avatar spirit was triggered. We need to calm him down!" Azula shouted over the wind.

"Well, do it before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka shouted as he was thrown back into the rubble where Katara and Azula were.

Azula looked up towards Aang. She closed her eyes remembering how she felt when she lost her family, when Lu Ten was murdered in front of her.

"Aang, I know you're upset… and I know how painful and lonely it is to lose the people you love. I felt the same thing when I lost my family. When I lost my cousin." Azula grabbed hold of the rubble so she wasn't blown away.

"Monk Gyatso and the other airbender may be gone, but you still have a family." Katara shouted, continuing for Azula. "Sokka, Azula, and I, we're your family now."

As Katara finished the statement Aang began to descend to the ground again with the winds blowing lighter and lighter. When Aang's feet finally touched the ground the wind died completely. He's tattoos and eyes were still glowing when his new family walked up to him.

"We aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka said softly.

Katara took one of Aang's hands into her own. The glowing of his tattoos and eyes instantly faded. The Water Tribe teens' hearts dropped when they saw how grief-stricken and exhausted Aang was as he collapsed into Katara's arms.

"I'm sorry." Aang apologized tiredly.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault."

"Azula was right. If the firebenders found this temple that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender."

The waterbender hugged him tightly as Sokka place a hand on Aang's shoulder and Azula gently squeezed his arm.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

They all walked back to the Air Sanctuary Temple so Aang could figure out a way to talk to Avatar Roku. He stood in front of the statue for about an hour until Azula placed a hand on his shoulder.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked.

"You'll find a way. Remember you've done this many times before." Azula looked back up at the other statues that couldn't be seen from where they were. Aang also looked up to feel his past lives.

"Okay, everything is packed." Katara announced. "Ready to go?"

The three of them turned to see the familiar flying lemur in the doorway of the sanctuary. The lemur had an arm full of fruits. He hopped over to Sokka and deposited them at his feet before dashing away from the boy.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." Aang said happily.

"Can't talk. Must eat." Sokka kept stuffing food into his mouth.

The lemur scurried up Aang and perched himself on the airbender's shoulder. "Hey little guy."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula was up in the saddle grabbing the stuff Katara was handing to her. She looked over at Aang to see him talk to Appa and the lemur.

"It must be hard for them." Observed Katara. "They're the last of their kind."

"Yeah…"

"Katara, Azula, Sokka, say hello to the newest member of our family." Aang approached them with the lemur on his arm.

"What are you going to name him?" Azula asked as she jumped off of Appa.

The lemur jumped off of Aang's arm and grabbed the peach Sokka was about to bite into. Instead of returning to Aang's arm, the lemur perched himself on Azula's shoulder.

Aang smiled. "Momo. His name is Momo. Uh, Azula are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Just enjoying Momo's fluffiness."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"What was that thing?" Katara asked while Aang started putting his clothes back on.

"I don't know."

"Well, let's not stick around and find out. Time to hit the road." Sokka ordered.

Suddenly five green clad warriors appeared all grabbing them and covering their eyes before they had a chance to see who was attacking them. It wasn't long before all of them were bound and blindfolded.

"Or we could stay a while…" Sokka suggested in defeat.

Azula and the others were guided through a path. She was tempted to use her firebending to get out of this mess but decided against it since they were on an Earth Kingdom island. Suddenly she felt something slammed into the back of her knees forcing to kneel on the ground still being held down by someone as well.

"You four have some explaining to do." A man said forcefully.

"And if you don't answer all our questions, we're throwing you back in the water to the unagi." A woman threatened.

Sokka was angry. "Show yourselves, cowards!" He shouted.

The darkness of the blindfold was removed causing the sudden sunlight to blind Azula. She quickly closed her eyes and slowly opened them as they adjusted to the light. When she finally opened them fully she saw four women dressed in green with white face paint and red over their eyes staring at her friends. Azula looked behind her to see one of the females in the same garb as the other four was holding her down.

The male warrior began straining against his binds. "Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?"

One of the girls stepped forward shaking her fist at the boy. "There were no men. We ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here?"

"Wait a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down." Sokka laughed in disbelief.

The girl who was shaking her fist, who Azula assumed was the leader of the group of girls in green, grabbed hold of Sokka's collar. "A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's gonna eat well tonight."

"No, don't hurt him!" Katara responded quickly. "He didn't mean it! My brother is just an idiot sometimes."

"Most of the time." Azula mumbled to herself. Causing the female who was holding her down to chuckle.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry we came here." Aang apologized. "I wanted to ride the elephant koi."

The old man pointed accusingly towards Aang. "That's hard to believe. You're obviously Fire Nation spies." The female warrior who was holding Azula down jerked the firebender to her feet. "How stupid do you think we are? This girl is obviously from the Fire Nation.

"The gold eyes and pale skin." The old man was now staring at Azula. "Kyoshi stayed out of the war so far. And we intend to keep it that way."

"This island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang exclaimed.

"Ha! How could you possibly know her?" The old man asked. "Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries."

Aang looked down at the ground quickly thinking of his response and then looked at the old man. "I know her because I'm the Avatar."

All the warriors and the old man looked at Aang in shock.

"That's impossible!" The warrior leader retorted while shaking her fist at Aang. "The last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared a hundred years ago."

"That's me!"

The old man was irritated. "Throw the imposter to the unagi! And take the Fire Nation spy away for interrogation!"

Each of the warriors took a fighting stance while pulling out two fans each. The warrior who was holding Azula began pushing the firebender away from the group.

"Aang… do some airbending." Both Katara and Azula told the airbender.

The female warriors kept approaching the pole as Azula continued being pushed away. Aang easily broke out of his bonds shooting himself into the air, he backflipped over the statue of Avatar Kyoshi and gracefully landed on the ground receiving a bunch of "oohs" and "ahhs" from the villagers. The warriors stood in awe.

"It's true… you are the Avatar!" The man said in amazement.

"Please, I promise you that Azula is not a Fire Nation spy. I'll vouch for her." Aang defended.

The old man looked at Azula who was standing as if she wasn't tied up. "But she is a firebender correct?"

"Yes, I am. I'm not going to hide that fact, but I grew up in the Southern Water Tribe with Sokka and Katara." Azula explained. "Please believe us."

"Alright if the Avatar believes you are not a spy, we'll take his word. We’re really sorry for the inconvenience." The old man raised his hand.

The warriors immediately cut the rope that was binding the teens. The old man walked up to the group. "I'm Oyaji, the chief of Kyoshi Island."

"I'm Aang."

"Hello, my name is Katara."

"Azula. The grump here is Sokka." Azula introduced herself and her training partner.

Oyaji turned towards one of the female warriors. "Suki please show our honored guests to the big house."

The girl who was questioning them earlier stepped forward shyly. Before gesturing them to follow her up the hill. "I'm really sorry about earlier. We're just protecting ourselves and the other villagers."

"It's completely understandable." Azula brushed off. "Though I think we may encounter more incidents like this in the future. So what are you and the other girls dressed in green supposed to be? Obviously you look a lot like Avatar Kyoshi did."

Katara walked behind Azula and Suki observing how the two female warriors easily started a conversation with each other. She hoped things would be like this wherever they go on their journey to the Northern Water Tribe.

"We're the Kyoshi Warriors. I know the name is very plain. But, we're honoring Avatar Kyoshi by being the warriors and the guardians of her island." Suki explained.

"Hey, the name doesn't sound too plain. Like you said it's to honor Avatar Kyoshi. Are you and the girls earthbenders, since Avatar Kyoshi was a bender?" Azula asked.

"No, no one in the village knows how to bend earth. Though we do implement the bending art motions into our fighting styles."

"That's cool. I'm surprised I never thought of using the bending forms for actual combat without bending. Katara, you and I should add that to your training session!" Azula looked back at the waterbender.

The waterbender smiled seeing how enthused the firebender was at teaching her to fight. They got a quick tour of the house before crashing for the night.

"Oh, Azula." Suki called to the firebender. Azula stepped out the bedroom she'd be sharing with Katara.

"Yes?"

"If you want you can train with the other warriors and I. Normally we don't teach outsiders, but we'll make an exception." Suki offered.

Azula was stunned for a while. "Yes! That would be great. When do you guys start training tomorrow?"

"A two hours after sunrise. See you tomorrow."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Are you sure the information is accurate?"

"Yes sir. The Avatar has been spotted at Kyoshi Island."

"Good. Get the ship ready. Fire Lord Akuzo has granted him the mission of capturing the Avatar."

"Right away. Commander Zhao."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Like everyday Azula got up before anyone else and went to a place outside the village to practice her firebending along with the waterbending form. When she was walking back to the village she saw a couple of men starting to work on restoring the statue of Avatar Kyoshi.

As she passed the statue she stared at it getting the same strange feeling she had been getting since she met Aang. "Not another possible spiritual connection. What is going on?" She asked rhetorically.

When she entered the living room of the house she saw Katara and Aang sitting at the table and Sokka sitting off to the side. One of the villagers had just finished setting the food out.

"All right! Dessert for breakfast!" Aang cheered. "These people surely know how to treat an Avatar!"

He eagerly grabbed one of the pastries from the tray and took a big bite. "Mmm… Katara you've got to try these!" Aang handed the pastry he had just bitten out of to Katara.

"Well, maybe just a bite…" She took the pastry from the airbender's hand and tore of the part that Aang hadn't bitten into and ate it.

Aang looked over at Sokka. "Sokka, what's your problem? Eat!"

"Not hungry."

"But you're always hungry!" Aang argued.

Azula shook her head as she sat down next to Katara. "He's just upset that a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday."

"They snuck up on me!" Sokka retorted.

"Right. And then they kicked your butt. Azula, say 'Ah'." Katara said while the firebender was distracted.

"Ah." Azula casually opened her mouth. Her eyes widened when she felt a sugary pastry was put into her mouth. She took a bite of it while grabbing hold of the rest of the pastry she hadn't bitten into. "It's a little sweet, but tasty. Taste like moon peach cakes."

Katara smiled. "I knew you'd like it." She took the rest of the pastry from the firebender's hand and ate it.

Seeing what Katara did, Azula shot up from her seat and began walking out of the room quickly. "Where are you going?" Katara asked.

"Walk. Need Air."

Azula felt the heat rise to her cheeks with the image of Katara eating the pastry she had eaten off of before kept replaying in her head. "She's going to be the end of me!" Azula exasperated.

"Mmm… this is tasty." Sokka mumbled to himself as he left the room. Azula rolled her eyes.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula walked up to the dojo fifteen minutes before the designated time. When she arrived she saw Suki there.

"Ah, good. I was hoping you'd show up early. We need to apply the make-up on you."

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. If you're to train with us, you need to follow all of our traditions. That includes wearing our uniforms and the makeup." Suki explained as she handed the neatly folded uniform to the firebender. "Get changed first before we apply the make up."

The firebender climbed into the dojo away from the public eye before stripping down to her undergarments. Azula picked up the top, slipping it on and tying it before picking up the hakama. She stepped into the hakama bringing it up to her waist and tying it around her waist.

Suki walked in just as Azula finished putting the armguards and gloves on. "You might not want to put the gloves on just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because you need to put on the rest of the armor and the headband." Suki gently tossed the chest, and leg-groin protector.

Azula slipped the chest armor over her head. She liked how the armor allowed her to move but was tight enough so it wouldn't suffocate her. Suki laughed.

"I probably should have told you to put the leg-groin protector on first. There's no way it'll work on top of the chest armor." Suki helped Azula out of the chest armor.

After about five minutes Azula was fully dress minus the headband. She currently had her eyes closed as Suki applied the makeup on her face and neck.

"Okay you can open your eyes. Because the next time you close them you can't open them because I'm going to apply the make-up over the eyes. Meanwhile let's apply the lipstick."

The firebender did what she was told. "No disrespect towards Avatar Kyoshi, but did she actually wear this much makeup every day?"

"Probably. In every painting and statue I've seen she has. I know this seems to be taking a while and that's because we normally do the makeup ourselves. If you practiced you'd be able to do this quickly and beautifully as well. Close your eyes."

She closed her eyes and felt the paint being brushed over her eyelids.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"I heard Suki invited the Fire Nation girl to train with us today. This should be interesting." The other Kyoshi Warriors walked into the dojo just as Azula had finished tying the headband around her head.

"Wow. Not bad, you could actually pass for being one of us." Commented one of the warriors. All the other girls agreed and gave compliments to the firebender.

"Okay, that's enough talking. We're going to go back and study the basics today for Azula. Also, it's never a bad idea to review the basics. I expect wonderful forms from all of you." Suki instructed.

They spent about an hour teaching Azula the basics of using the fans and forms. Being a prodigy she easily picked up on what was being taught to her. Soon they moved on to partner works of using their force against them. It was only after being tossed onto her rear for the third time did she finally understand how she recognized the motion.

"Hey, you're fighting techniques are very similar to waterbending." Azula hopped up noticing she had the group's attention. "In waterbending they usually turn their defense to offense just like we've been doing. Watch."

Azula easily breezed through part of the form Kanna taught her emphasizing towards the part that she was shown by the Kyoshi Warriors.

"Very nice. Mind if we use the form to also practice?" Suki asked.

"I don't see why not."

The firebender spent the next couple of hours teaching the Kyoshi Warriors part of the waterbending form three moves at a time. She would teach them the moves, then watch them to make corrections, and finally they applied it by working with their partners while moving through the form. Azula was enjoying the tradeoff of learning something from them and teaching them something as well.

Suddenly they are a very arrogant voice call into the dojo. "Sorry ladies! Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson." Sokka walked in and began stretching his arms and waist. "I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Azula stayed quiet and in the back so Sokka wouldn't see her. She hadn't told her friends that Suki had invited her to train.

"Well, you're in the right place. Sorry about yesterday." Suki apologized. "I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar."

Sokka began rolling his shoulders. "It's all right. I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge, but seeing as you are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception."

Azula rolled her eyes. She couldn't understand why her friend had to be so arrogant and sexist. 

Normally she would have attacked him already, but she decided to let him fall on his own face.

"I should hope so. A big strong man like you? We wouldn't stand a chance." Suki replied sarcastically.

"True. But don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village."

Suki looked back to the group of warriors briefly just to see Azula snickering in the background. "Wow! Best warrior, huh? In your whole village? Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration."

"Oh… well… I mean… I…"

"Come on, girls! Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" All the other girls giggled as Azula tried to keep herself from laughing so hard.

"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be happy to. All right, you stand over there." Sokka walked up to Suki and tried moving her, but she didn't and it didn't seem like Sokka noticed either. "This may be a little tough, but try to block me."

Sokka threw a punch only to be blocked when Suki thrust her fan into his shoulder. He rubbed his shoulder. "Heh Heh… good. Of course, I was going easy on you."

"Of course."

"Let's see if you handle this!" The boy lunged himself towards the Kyoshi leader. Suki easily caught him under his leg and tossed him on his butt. "That does it!"

He lunged at Suki again. She grabbed him by his arm spinning him in circles one way and then the other way before taking his belt off. Suki quickly tied his arm and leg together with his foot before tossing him on the ground.

"Anything else you want to teach us?" Suki laughed.

Azula couldn't help but let out a loud laugh with the other girls. She knew Sokka was going to lose against Suki, but she didn't think he'd humiliate himself as bad as he did.

When she got close enough to Sokka his face was all red. "Do you need help getting back to the house?" Azula asked.

"Yes, please." He squeaked.

The firebender easily lifted Sokka up and started to untie his arm and leg. "I don't see how you could be so arrogant. I beat you all the time."

"That's because you're like a sister to me. I only let you win."

Her eye twitched. She tightened Sokka's binds and pushed him out of the dojo. "Have fun getting back to the house all by yourself."

"On that note the lessons are done for the day. Same time tomorrow girls." Suki announced.

Purposely ignoring the pleading from the male warrior, Azula walked away from the dojo. When she got back to the village she saw Katara carrying a heavy basket. Katara tripped and was about to drop the basket, but Azula ran up and caught the basket of food as Katara leaned into both the basket and Azula.

"You couldn't take multiple trips?" Azula asked as she lifted Katara up.

"I'm irritated with Aang. I wasn't thinking too much about what I was putting in the basket. This morning he promised that he wouldn't the Avatar thing get to his head and claimed to be a 'simple monk.' He's having girls chase him around the whole village. It's so infuriating!” Katara looked up and finally got to look at Azula. “Nice outfit, but why are you dressed like one of the Kyoshi Warriors?”

“Oh, Suki let me trained with them. I have to follow all of the traditions including wearing the uniform. We just finished training for the day.” Azula took the basket from Katara and carried it for her.

“You don’t need to do that!”

Before Katara could take the basket from Azula, the firebender move the basket away from her. “Maybe not, but I would like to besides what’s wrong with getting some help?”

Katara blushed as they both began walking back to their hut. “Thank you, you’re sweet.”

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katara and Azula walked out of the house. The moon was out and there were torches lit around the village.

"I don't know if I'm so excited or nervous! I'm going to be learning more waterbending moves!" Katara cheered as Azula came up behind her.

Azula grabbed Katara around the waist, picked her up and twirled her around. "Fair warning though, all the stuff I learned today were your basic waterbending moves." She set the waterbender down.

"How basic?"

"Push and pull but applying it to fighting. Now I have a question for you, do you trust me?" Azula asked.

"Of course." She flinched when she suddenly saw Azula's fist less than an inch away from her face.

"Good because that's how close I'll be coming towards you with each punch. I'll be going full speed and full power. But I'll have control and won't hit you physically or with fire.

"What I want you to do is not to stop my punch but to at guide my arm or grab my arm that way I'll be in your fighting area." Azula explained. "Here punch me."

Katara did what she was told. Azula easily guided the waterbender's arm away from her but had control of it.

"We're just going to work on you getting control of my arm before we move on to at least a few basic counter attacks."

The two benders went through the motions. "I think I got the hang of it. Azula, what kind of counter attacks do you have in mind?"

"Punch me again." Azula guided Katara's arm grabbing it with her left and came close to slamming her elbow into the waterbender's face. "That's one way. Immediately hit them in the first vital opening you find. In my case it was your face.

"One more punch please." They went through the punch and guiding process again only this time she pushed Katara and stepped forward to keep up with the waterbender as she threw a palm strike to the waterbender's face. "This is for pushing your opponent away from you to make distance and gain the upperhand."

"Okay I think I understand." An hour passed as they continued practicing the counter moves over and over.

"I think you got it Katara!" Azula said proudly. "See you're a prodigy if you can master this without bending. I can just see it now. Katara will be the best waterbender your master will have ever seen." 

She wrapped her arm around the waterbender's shoulders as the walked back to the house.  
Katara blushed at her friend's comment. "I also have a very good teacher."

"What's wrong with Azula?" Aang asked as the two walked into the house.

Azula's face was flushed. "I'm fine Aang."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Just as she was about to fall asleep she felt the bed shift as Katara climbed in. The waterbender practically laid herself on top of the firebender. Azula buried her face into the pillow hiding her blush.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a sharing the bed with you." Katara responded casually as she snuggled deeper into the girl.

"Why?"

"I'm being greedy and stealing some of your firebending heat. It's too cold in my bed."

"At least you're honest." Azula sighed.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The next day Azula was training with the other Kyoshi Warriors again. They continued working on the waterbending form only with their fans this time.

"Youch!" Azula cried in pain as she dropped the fan. "Suki whatever you did just now made my hand go numb."

"I just hit your pressure point from your wrist."

"Hmm. Very effective. Apparently my arm is numb as well." Azula laughed. All the other girls laughed with her.

Everyone froze when they saw Sokka walk into the dojo. "Um… hey, Suki."

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" Suki asked mockingly.

"No… I… well, let me explain."

"Spit it out! What do you want?"

Azula never thought she'd see the day Sokka kneeling to the girl. "I would be honored if you would teach me."

"Even if I'm a girl?"

"I'm sorry if I insulted you earlier. I was wrong."

"We normally don't teach outsiders. But as of yesterday we've made an exception." Suki quickly looked over at Azula. "Boys are a different story."

"Please make another exception. I won't let you down."

"All right. But you have to follow all of our traditions."

"Of course!" Sokka replied quickly.

"And I mean ALL of them."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Do I really have to wear this? It feels a little… girly."

Azula chuckled at Sokka's comment.

"It's a warrior's uniform. You should be proud. The silk threads symbolize the brave blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of the warrior's heart." Suki explained.  
Sokka stood proudly. "Bravery and honor."

"Hey Sokka! Nice dress!' Aang giggled before running off.

"Don't pick on him Aang!" Azula called off to the Avatar. "Jerk." She mumbled.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Sir, we'll be landing on the shores of the island soon." One of the captain of the ship informed Commander Zhao.

"Good. Let's find ourselves the Fire Nation's number one enemy. Fire Lord Azuko is going to be very pleased."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula yawned as she watched Suki and Sokka spar some more. The only reason she stayed was to observe their weaknesses. At some point Momo came in and fell asleep on her lap.

After Sokka finished parrying Suki's arm one last time they both smiled. "Not bad, Sokka."

Suddenly Oyaji appeared at the door of the dojo. "Firebenders have landed on our shores. Girls, come quickly!"

"Hey, I'm not a… oh, whatever!" Sokka shouted.

The three warriors ran out of the dojo. Suki and Sokka ran towards the village's entrance while Azula quickly ran back to the house to grab her swords. Once she got them the hid in the trees working her way down to the village. She saw soldiers sitting on Komodo-Rhinos.

One of the Komodo-Rhinos stepped forward further than the other ones. A man with side burns was dressed different the other soldiers.

"He could be the leader." Azula whispered to herself.

"Come out Avatar! You're hundred years of hiding is over." The man with side burns shouted into the village.

Azula looked up at the rooftops and saw the other Kyoshi Warriors. She got out of her hiding spot from the trees and side of one of the buildings keeping an eye on the firebenders.

The leader of the firebenders sliced his arm across the creating a flame arc. The flames hit parts of the building causing them to catch fire.

"I'd hurry up if I were you Avatar. Fire can be so hard to control." The leader unleashed more fire from his palms.

Before any of the flames could hit the buildings Azula firebended at the flames to distinguish them.  
She heard the soldiers mumbling. They didn't understand how their Commander's fire could suddenly disappear. Azula took a deep breath and stepped out of her hiding spot.

The commander and Azula stared each other down. She knew the Kyoshi Warriors didn't understand why she was doing this. She didn't expect them to because she wanted to prove that not all firebenders were allied with the Fire Nation.

"Who are you?" Azula asked.

"Commander Zhao. Now what is a firebender doing defending an Earth Kingdom village? Surely, you don't think you'll be able to take on all of us. If you have any loyalty to your nation you'll destroy this village until we find the Avatar."

"The Fire Nation betrayed my family a long time ago. Tell your Fire Lord that nine years ago he made an enemy when he betrayed his Fire Lord and overthrew him. The Avatar should be the last of your concern." Azula threatened.

"The you have declared yourself a traitor of the Fire Nation. Arrest the traitor and search for the Avatar." Zhao ordered. "I'm sure Fire Lord Akuzo will be pleased having the Avatar and a traitor in custody."

Azula took a defensive stance as she opened her fans ready for the firebenders to attack her. She looked up to one of the roofs and caught Suki's eye. The firebender smirked. She quickly lowered herself and firebended with the help of her fans and attacked the Komodo-Rhinos.

Just as one of the Fire Nation soldiers was about to attack, Suki jumped from the rooftop and knocked them off the Komodo-Rhino. The rest of the warriors followed suit. Suki charged up towards Zhao just as she was about to land on him the Komodo-Rhino turned and swatted her out of the air with its tail.  
Zhao fired a fireball towards her. Sokka jumped in between Suki and the fireball, deflecting it with his fans. While Zhao was distracted Azula snuck up on him and knocked him off his Komodo-Rhino. Suki, Sokka, and Azula cautiously approached Zhao.

The commander slashed his arm downwards sending another fire arc towards them. Azula quickly bended a firewall protecting them from the fire, when the wall disappeared she quickly drew her swords and slammed the hilt of the sword into Zhao's wrist like Suki had done to her with the fan earlier that day.

Before the commander could recover, Azula elbowed him hard in the face. Zhao lost his balance. Azula did a front turning reverse leg sweep to his standing leg causing the commander to fall onto his back. Just as Azula was about to strike, one of Zhao's soldiers attacked her. She had just barely protected herself from the blast.

Aang and Katara had just gotten back into the village running to help the others. As the Airbender approached where Azula was he saw Zhao standing up preparing to attack her. Azula was busy fighting off another soldier to notice Zhao.

"Azula duck!" Aang shouted as he swung his staff sending an air blast towards Azula and Zhao.  
The firebender just barely ducked as the air blast flew by her slamming into Zhao knocking the commander about ten feet away. From the looks of it all the Fire Nation soldiers were either gaining conscious or were struggling to get up.

"These people got their town destroyed trying to protect me." Aang said sadly as he walked up to Azula.

"It's not your fault…" Katara started.

"Yes it is."

"Then we need to get out of here. I'm sure the Fire Nation will leave Kyoshi to follow us." Katara explained.

Aang hung his head. "I'll call Appa."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"I know, I know. That was stupid and dangerous." He was expecting a lecture from Katara as he climbed back onto Appa.

"Yes, it was." Katara hugged the airbender tightly. Azula felt a little irritated seeing Katara hugged Aang.

When they broke the hug all of them looked back at the now faded Kyoshi Island. "So what's the plan now?" Aang asked.

"Getting you to the Northern Water Tribe as soon as possible. You've had your fun." Azula said bluntly while glaring at Aang. "The last thing we need from now on is having that Commander Zhao chasing us. 

Aang, you're the Avatar they're going to be hunting us down from now on. It also doesn't help that I'm going to be on the wanted list with you now too."

"What? What happened?" Katara asked.

"I've officially been marked a traitor to the Fire Nation. This is going to be fun." Azula ended sarcastically.

"Well, things couldn't get much worse." Sokka commented.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The struggles are real. Life. A lot of things happened. As I noted in the previous chapter back in October, I left for Boot Camp the day after I posted the previous chapter. The last 9 months have been training and adjusting to my new life with the Navy. I’ve also been on night shift since I arrived at my command leaving me unmotivated after sleeping most of the day away during my days off. However, I am on days now and will have more motivation since I won’t feel like I’m wasting the day away sleeping. 
> 
> More updates from GWWR and Wanted should be more frequent, however, I can not promise because Navy comes first. Remember since this a re-write of the original, some chapters might be posted sooner if no to little changes have been made to them. Thank you for sticking with me all these years with all your amazing patience.


	7. Winter Solstice

"Come with us." Haru suggested to Katara.

"I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." Both Katara and Haru looked down at Appa where Aang was airbending coal around.

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar."

"Yes, he is." Azula answered. She had just finished checking up on all the former prisoners. "I'm glad we were able to help you to reunite with your father. I only wish I could ever have the chance with my family."

Katara sadly smiled at the firebender. She reached up to her necklace as she thought of her mother. As she touched the pendant the necklace broke.

"Oh no!" Katara gasped. "My mother's necklace!"

"What is it?" Azula asked.

"It broke." Katara replied sadly.

"Let me see it." Azula gently took the necklace into her hands. She examined the damage. "Thankfully the pendent isn't broken. The pendent hook just broke. I'll see if I can fix it. Do you mind if I hold onto it until then?"

"Azula, thank you." Katara hugged the firebender.

Once they dropped off all the earthbenders, the four teens were off flying further north. Sokka was busy looking for more food to eat, Katara was sewing some of the clothes that needed repair, Azula continued to examine the damaged necklace while trying to stop Momo from touching it, and Aang looked onwards toward the horizon.

"You know, since we were busy yesterday tricking the Fire Nation into arresting Katara, I'm sorry to say this to you, but Katara, Sokka, you're acting is really terrible." Azula said bluntly.

Suddenly Azula felt really cold water on her. "I'm just being honest with you. We'll work on it!" Azula defended.

Katara annoyingly turned away from Azula, but smiled once she knew the firebender wasn't paying attention.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Happy Birthday, Katara!" Everyone cheered.

Azula had taken Katara away from the igloo for most of the day so her family could prepare for the waterbender's birthday celebration. Kya hugged her daughter followed by Sokka and Kanna.

They spent the evening forgetting about the war and eating all of Katara's favorite food. Azula even ate all the sea prunes that were given to her without making a face for Katara's sake. The night was filled with laughter and happiness.

"Okay time for presents. Here you go!" Sokka exclaimed as he presented a carved wooden doll of a Polar Bear Dog.

"Awww… Sokka!" Katara hugged her brother. "It's so cute. It looked just like Koro. What do you think boy?"

Koro opened one of his eyelids and looked at the wooden doll before falling back asleep.

"Here Katara." Azula handed a rolled up scroll to the waterbender.

Katara opened the scroll to reveal two characters writing in calligraphy on them. "Water Virtue." She read out loud. "Why those two words?"

"Well since you're a waterbender I found it appropriate." Azula explained as she blushed.

"I love it!" Katara gave the firebender a tight hug.

"One last gift Katara." Kya said as she removed her necklace. "Here I want you to have this. Both Gran Gran and I thought you would enjoy wearing this."

The waterbender took hold of her mother's necklace as Kanna explained the history of the necklace. "This was my necklace until I gave it to your mother when she married your father. It has been through many adventures, and needs to be passed on to give the necklace more adventures. Take care of it."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang and Azula sat on Appa's head leaning back and enjoying themselves. They were in the middle of a long conversation bending sparring match. Both of them had to imagine what the other was saying and work a counter off of that to try and beat each other. Some of things they claimed to do was rather ridiculous but made a great sparring match.

"Hah, I captured you in my Air Vortex and I slam you into the wall." Aang claimed.

"Ouch that's going to hurt tomorrow. I quickly bounce back up I do a roundhouse then a spinning reverse hook back heel kick sending two fire arcs towards you." Azula countered.

"I counter that by creating an Air Dome around me dispersing the flames and then I burst my Air Dome to my surrounding knocking you to the wall again."

Azula flinched as she imagined it, "I think that would have taken me out. Nice match Aang."

Katara sighed as she dreamingly stared over Appa's saddle. "Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft cotton heap."

"Maybe you should give it a try." Sokka replied teasingly.

"You're hilarious." The waterbender retorted.

Aang suddenly jumped up nearly knock Azula off Appa's head. "I'll try it!" He jumped off of Appa with his glider in hand. "Yehhh!"

The three Water Tribe teens looked over Appa's side seeing Aang plunge through the clouds. A moment later Aang landed in Appa's saddle soaking wet.

"Turns out clouds are made out of water!"

Azula shook her head as she brought her attention back to where they were flying. She raised an eyebrow when she saw a patch of darkness in the middle of a forest.

"Hey, guys… I think you should look at this."

Everyone looked and was horrified at what they saw. The closer they got to the ground they were able to see that it was a forest burnt to nothingness.

"It's like a scar." Sokka observed.

When Appa landed the four teens got out of the saddle and sadly looked at the barren landscape. All their hearts sank feeling the sadness and emptiness of the earth.

"Listen, it's so quiet. There's no life anywhere." Sokka pointed out.

Both Sokka and Azula crouched down to see the track marks that were left in the ashes.

"Fire Nation!" Sokka stood up in anger. "Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-"

"Shh!" Katara interrupted.

Sokka brought his voice down to a whisper. "What? I'm not allowed to be angry?"

Azula took a deep breath as she imagined what the Fire Nation soldiers did to this forest. She didn't have trouble believing that they would do something like this, but she didn't agree with them. The firebender picked up a hand full of the ash as it seeped through her fingers. She felt Katara walk up to her.

"How's Aang doing?" Azula asked.

"He's really depressed because he doesn't think he can be the Avatar." Katara knelt down and placed her arms around Azula's neck.

"Aang will find a way. He's done it many times before." Azula said confidently. "I hate this. I hate seeing the Fire Nation destroying all the innocence. Seeing this makes me hate myself. Makes me hate knowing I'm a firebender." She clenched her fist causing the rest of the ashes to fall out her hand.

The two benders stood up and kept staring at the burnt forest. Katara kept holding on Azula for comfort.

"It looked like two or three Fire Nation soldiers destroyed the forest. However, it takes just one small flame to create this much damage." Azula produced a small flame from her palm.

Katara hugged the firebender as she looked to the ground. As she looked at the ground she noticed several bumps in the ashes.

"Hey, lift your foot." Katara got down on her knees and dug through the ashes to find acorns. She held it up to Azula as she stood up.

"Acorns?"

"Yes, and there seems to be a lot of them. Azula, do you know what this means?" Katara asked excitedly.

"More nuts for dinner?" Remembering the whole problem of almost having to eat nuts for dinner before they met Haru.

"No." She walked over to Aang. "Hey Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?"

"No."

Katara threw an acorn towards the airbender's head with a big whack.

"Ow! Hey, how was that cheering me up?" Aang asked as he picked up the acorn and rubbed the side of his head.

Sokka laughed. "Cheered me up." Katara threw another acorn only this time harder towards Sokka's head. "Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that."

"One of these days Sokka you'll learn." Azula commented as she sat next to him.

"Aang, these acorns are everywhere. That means the forest will grow back. Every one of these will be a tall oak tree someday, and all the birds and animals that lived here will come back." Katara explained as she placed an acorn in the young boy's hand.

Suddenly they heard a branch snap. The four immediately got into a fighting stance ready to defend themselves. They saw an old man in green with a walking stick approach them.

"Hey, who are you?" Sokka asked.

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but those markings… Are you the Avatar child?" The old man asked.

Aang looked towards his friends. They all nodded in approval. Aang turned towards the man and nodded to him as well.

"My village desperately needs your help."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

After they had followed the old man to their village they were informed about the Hei-Bai spirit and how Aang was the great bridge between the human world and the spirit world. Azula, Sokka, and Katara watched Aang from inside the building with the other villagers as Aang stood outside waiting for Hei-Bai.

"Hello? Spirit, can you hear me?" Aang asked into the forest. "This is the Avatar speaking. I'm here to try to help stuff."

"This isn't right. We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up."

The old man walked up to them by the window. "If anyone can save us, he can."

"He still shouldn't have to face this alone." Sokka argued.

As the sunset the world darkened with Aang standing by himself near the gates. "The sun has set. Where are you, Hei-Bai?" Aang shouted. "Well, spirit, uh, I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!"

He twirled his staff and planted it into the ground. When nothing happened Aang eased. "Okay. Well, I guess that's settled then." He began to walk back to the village.

The three Water Tribe teens looked closer to see a giant spirit walk out of the woods. The spirit was black and white, as big as a house, and had six legs.

"Aang, behind you!" Azula shouted.

Aang turned around to come face to face with Hei Bai. "You must be the Hei-Bai spirit." He bowed. "My name is –"

Hei Bai blasted a blue energy from his mouth, but Aang didn't move. The giant spirit sat on its hind-legs and blasted another blue energy before charging towards the village ignoring Aang.

The airbender sprinted towards the spirit trying to get its attention. "My name is Aang! I'm the Avatar and I would like to help! Hey, wait up!"

It was terrible seeing Aang trying so hard but failing as Hei-Bai continued to destroy the village. Hei-Bai kept vanishing and reappearing in a blink of an eye at a new location and destroying it.

"The Avatar's methods are…" The two teens and the village chief ducked as debris from a nearby building hit the window. "… Unusual."

Azula glared at the chief. "Why don't you try it? He's doing his best!"

"It doesn't seem to be too interested in what he's saying. Maybe we should go help him?" Sokka asked Azula and Katara.

"No, only the Avatar stands a chance against the Hei-Bai." The old man replied.

"Says who?" Azula argued.

"Azula, calm down. Aang will figure out the right thing to do." Katara said trying to calm the firebender.

"Excuse me, would you please turn around? I command you to turn around now!" Aang shouted.

The firebender smacked her forehead. "Never command a spirit!"

Hei-Bai turned around and swatted Aang to the nearest roof. He slid off and collapsed on the ground.

"That's it! He needs help!" Sokka ran out of the meeting hall towards Aang and Hei-Bai.

"Sokka wait!" Katara shouted.

Azula tried running after him, but was stopped by the old man.

"It's not safe!"

"Sokka!" Katara shouted.

Azula brought her attention back to the fight she saw Hei-bai grab Sokka and run out of the village.

"Sokka!" Azula and Katara ran out of the meeting hall to the village gates. Aang kept gliding through the forest after Sokka.

"Aang, please bring him back." Katara whispered.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Two hours had gone by and still no Aang or Sokka. Katara hadn't moved from her place by the village gates.

"Hey." Azula said casually.

"Hey."

"Katara, come inside. You can catch a cold staying out here." Azula suggested.

"Not unless I have a firebender to keep me warm."

Azula blushed. "Are you sure that's all you want?"

The waterbender nodded. Azula sighed and slid down against the gatepost till she was sitting on the ground. She opened her arms for Katara to sit between the firebender and absorb the body heat. Once Katara was seated in between Azula, she snuggled up to the firebender causing Azula to blush even harder.

"Thanks Azula." Katara mumbled.

"You're welcome." She placed her head on top of the waterbender's while embracing her.

Katara had her ear pressed against Azula's heart. The steady beating of the firebender's heart brought comfort to the waterbender even though she was worried about her brother and Aang. She felt the firebender's embrace loosen. Katara looked up to see Azula had fallen asleep.

"Aang, come back soon." Katara whispered into the forest.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The firebender took a deep breath and awoke when the sun rose above the horizon. It took her a second to remember that Katara had snuggled up against her last night. She couldn't help but blush faintly. When she looked down she noticed that Katara had the old man's shawl wrapped around them.

"Morning." Katara mumbled into Azula's chest.

"Morning. Did they come back?"

"Not yet. The old man came by a few minutes ago."

"So I see." Azula said quietly.

The two benders continued to sit by the village gates with their eyes closed. They were both thinking of what they could possibly do next. They needed to find Sokka and Aang.

A familiar grunt was heard as a wet nose was pressed up against the side of their faces.

"It's ok, Appa. I'm sure they're on their way back. I bet they even found you a bunch of moon peaches for a treat." Katara comforted the sky bison. "I'm going to take Appa and go look for them."

"I'll go with you." Azula said as the two stood up.

"No. Someone should stay here in case they come back."

"Okay… but be careful."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night Aang successfully comforted Hei-Bai when he realized that Hei-Bai was the spirit of the forest. Sokka and the other villagers had returned safely. The villagers were helping the group with supplies and money for their journey.

"The Fire Nation. Of all the places, why couldn't Avatar Roku talk to Aang from a temple that we are welcomed in!" Sokka asked.

"Because Avatar Roku was an Avatar from the Fire Nation. From what Aang said he has a temple dedicated to him." Azula pointed out. She looked out the window seeing Aang trying to sneak out of the village. "Hey, he's trying to leave without us."

"So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aang shouted. Aang continued to pull on the reins as the entire village walked out of the meeting hall.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Sokka commented.

Katara walked up and begged. "Please don't go, Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I."

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means." Aang urged. "I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sunsets on the Solstice. That's today."

Aang jumped on Appa's back. The three Water Tribe teens jumped in front of the sky bison.

"We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation, Aang." Katara declared.

"At least not without your friends. We've got your back." Sokka finished.

Once everyone was ready to go the village chief handed Aang a parcel. "It's a long journey to the Crescent Island. You'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sundown. Good luck."

"Thank you, for your-" Aang was cut off.

"Go!"

Appa quickly flew off leaving the village behind in a matter of minutes.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula took a deep breath. "The sun is rising. The race against the sun begins."

"Aang, can't Appa fly any faster?" Sokka asked as sun began rising above the horizon.

"Yeah, but there's one problem."

"A blockade." Azula finished.

There was a double line of Fire Nation ships stretching beyond the horizons.

"If we fly north we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade. It's the only way."

"Aang, there's no time." Azula argued. "This is the halfway point and it's the Solstice! Meaning the shortest day of the year."

"Argh! This is exactly why I didn't want you to come. It's too dangerous."

"And that's exactly why we're here." Katara responded.

Sokka pointed towards the blockade. "Let's run this blockade!"

"Appa, yip yip!"

The sky bison began to fly faster towards the blockade. The closer they got fireballs were being launched at them. They all screamed. Appa weaved left and right avoiding the fireballs as best as he could. Then one fireball exploded just barely missing Appa. There were fireball grazes on his side. Azula quickly absorbed the heat of the fire dispersing them.

"Appa! Are you okay?" Aang asked.

Appa groaned affirmatively. He flew even faster towards the blockade.

Multiple fireballs kept flying towards them. Appa made the attempt of hiding in the clouds, but that made things worse. They couldn't see where the fireballs were coming from. Two fireballs collided exploding in Appa's face. Appa reared up trying to avoid the combustion bucking Sokka out of the saddle.

Azula had just barely grabbed hold of the warrior's arm. Sokka was dangling outside the saddle.

"Aang keep going I've got him!" Azula shouted to the airbender.

Aang lowered them down to sea level as they got closer and closer to the ship. As Azula pulled Sokka back into the saddle a fireball was coming straight towards them. Aang leaped from Appa's head kicking a burst of air directly to the center of the fireball creating an opening through the center when it burst into debris.

The sky bison flew through the debris' center. Aang was thrown backwards by the wind onto Appa's head. Sokka and Katara grabbed Aang by the shoulders to steady him. Appa flew past the blockade passing a ship holding a certain Fire Nation Naval Commander.

Azula glared at Zhao as they flew by the blockade. It felt like several minutes as the Commander and female warrior locked their despiteful glares onto one another, but were only mere seconds.

"We made it!" Aang cheered.

Sokka and Katara were shocked. "We made it into the Fire Nation. Great." Sokka said in disbelief.

"We're going to need to be careful at the temple. I think we're going to be seeing Zhao again."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Once the door was completely shut all three of them began running away from the entrance. As they ran past the throne room, Azula grabbed hold of Lu Ten's hand causing him to stop running.

"What is it Azula?"

"Lu, there's a secret door in Grandpa's throne room!" Azula exclaimed.

"What? Are you sure?" Lu Ten knelt down to his cousin's height.

"Yes, Zuzu and I accidently found it when we were hiding from Grandpa. We were playing there and didn't want to get in trouble. It leads just outside the palace gates!"

Still holding Lu Ten's hand, all three of them ran into the Fire Lord's throne room. Once they entered Azula let go of her cousin's hand and ran to the wall below the throne.

"See the fire symbol Lu. All you have to do is fire bend and the secret door opens." Azula said proudly.

"Oh really that's great!" Lu Ten said happily.

Azula quickly took a firebending stance and fired a fireball at the Fire Nation insignia. After a few seconds there was a shift and the secret door exposed itself.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula gripped her head and groaned a little as Shyu opened the secret door that was disguised as a floor outside of the sanctuary doors.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked as she placed a hand on Azula's shoulder.

"Yeah. Just had a small flashback that's all."

Shyu walked up the last steps into the temple followed by the four teens. "NO!" Shyu exclaimed.

"Shyu, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"The sanctuary doors, they're closed."

"Can't we just firebend them open?" Azula asked. "Like you did with that other door?"

"No. Only a fully realized Avatar is powerful enough to open these doors alone. Otherwise the Sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

"Five fire blasts, huh?" Sokka looked up at the lantern above him. "I think I can help you out."

Sokka had taken the lantern down and began making a bomb with them. "This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Shyu or Azula lights the oil soaked twine and tada!" He held the last bomb out. "Fake firebending!"

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Sokka." Katara praised.

Shyu gave a big smile. "This might actually work."

Azula and Sokka placed the bombs into the mouths of the lions. Before running behind one of the pillars where everyone else was.

"The Sages will hear the explosions, so as soon as they go off, you rush in."

"Are you ready?" Katara asked.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Aang had just barely made it inside the sanctuary. When the doors became fully shut there was a blast of bright light encasing the doors before fading. Two of the sages had the three Water Tribe teens tied up against one of the columns.

Shyu was on his knees facing the Great Sage. "Shyu, why did you help the Avatar?"

"Because it was once the Sages' duty. It is still our duty."

The Great Sage was furious at Shyu's answer. Suddenly they all heard clapping coming from one of the main stairway. Azula looked over and saw Zhao and his soldiers.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him." Zhao said smugly.

"Your Fire Lord is a traitor himself! He betrayed the real Fire Lord and murder the real Royal Family!" Azula shouted.

Zhao turned his attention to Azula. "Ah, yes, there is also the matter of having to deal with you. Two traitors and the Avatar, in one day, the Fire Lord will indeed be pleased."

"You're too late, Zhao. Aang is already inside and the doors are sealed." Azula retorted.

"No matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out."

Azula clenched her teeth and glared at the Commander.

Zhao and his soldiers took a fighting stance in front of the doors. "When those doors open, unleash all your firebending power."

"How's Aang going to make it out of this?" Katara asked.

"How're we going to make it out of this?" Sokka asked back.

Another blinding light blasted from the sanctuary doors. When the light faded the door began to fully open. Two large glowing eyes were visible through the dark sanctuary.

"Ready." Zhao ordered his troops.

"No! Aang!" Katara shouted.

"Fire!"

Zhao and his soldiers all fired a fire blast into the sanctuary. However, the blasts were held only at the doors being controlled by gigantic ball of swirling fire. The fireball slowly began to open. In the center of the ball was not Aang, but Avatar Roku.

The Sage, Zhao, and Azula's mouths hung open in awe and fear.

"Avatar Roku." Azula whispered.

Roku drew a fireball and shot it out into the temple knocking Zhao and his soldiers to the floor. The fireball flew past the Water Tribe teens and Shyu melting the chains without hurting them. The former Fire Nation Avatar looked towards the Fire Sages. They ran for their lives trying to escape from Roku's wrath.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu urged.

"Not without Aang! Wait, where's Azula?" Katara and Sokka looked around and saw Azula making her way towards Avatar Roku.

"What is she doing?" Sokka asked.

The two Water Tribe teens crouched behind a column for protection. Azula was just barely got out of the way when Roku sliced the floor and firebended the lava to shoot up towards the ceiling.

"Aang! Aang, can you hear me?" Azula yelled towards Roku.

Roku lowered his arms and took a deep breath. He looked over at Azula causing her to freeze in her place. Aang's predecessor reached out and placed his hand on top of Azula's head.

Azula felt hypnotized and closed her eyes. When she opened them she was not in the Fire Nation Temple but on top of a mountain range facing Avatar Roku.

"I see. I knew you looked familiar. You look very much like my wife, Ta Min. It is nice to meet you, my great-granddaughter, Azula." Roku spoke gently.

Before the firebender could say anything a gust of wind blew at her causing her to close her eyes. When she opened her eyes once more Avatar Roku was disappearing by smoke that was swirling until it dissipated showing Aang. Azula caught Aang with Sokka and Katara quickly running up to them.

"We got your back." Sokka grabbed hold of Aang's side that Azula wasn't on.

Aang looked up at his friends tiredly. "Thanks. Where's Shyu?"

"I don't know." Katara replied quickly.

They walked over to the stairs to see lava rising. There was no escape for them. The only way out was through the broken wall. When they approached the edge they saw the temple being devoured by the volcano. A familiar groan was heard as Appa and Momo came flying towards them.

The four teens slide down one of the peaks to the temple and into Appa's saddle. Appa managed to fly them away before the temple collapsed on them. They all looked back towards the temple to finally see it disappear into the volcano. All of them knew they survived this time, but knew they would not be lucky twice.

Night had fallen before anyone spoke. Aang was the first to speak and he was panicking.

"There's a comet coming this summer. It's going to give the Fire Nation power that'll make them unstoppable!" Aang panicked.

Everyone was quietly as the information sunk in.

"Is Fire Lord Akuzo planning on using the comet's power?" Azula asked as she looked out towards the horizon.

"Yes! Roku said they're planning on using the comet to finish the war."

"It's the same comet that Fire Lord Sozin used to wipe out the Air Nomads isn't it?" Azula looked at Aang with a hard glare.

"Yes."

"Fire Lord Akuzo is going to use the comet to wipe out either the Earth Kingdom or the Water Tribe. While it'll make sense for him to go after the Water Tribe, he will most likely use the comet's power and wipe out the Earth Kingdom." Azula deducted.

"What makes you say that?" Sokka asked. "We're defenseless if the Fire Nation has this unimaginable power. They can easily take the Water Tribe out."

"That's exactly why I think they're going for the Earth Kingdom. If the Fire Nation is going to be unbeatable they might as well wipe out the current strongest nation. The Earth Kingdom. If the Earth Kingdom falls, the Water Tribes doesn't have a chance."

Everyone was quiet for the rest of the flight. Aang and Sokka fell asleep in Appa's saddle while Azula stayed awake and made sure Appa didn't fall asleep in mid-flight. Her mind wandered back to what Avatar Roku told her.

"Hey, what's on your mind?" Katara asked. Katara climbed out of the saddle and onto Appa's head next to Azula. Azula gripped Appa's reins tighter and continued staring out into the horizon. "Azula, calm down."

The waterbender placed her hands over the firebender's and slowly pried the reins out of Azula's hands. Azula leaned back with a big sigh and looked at her hands deep in thought.

"Avatar Roku… is my great-grandfather."

Katara looked over at her friend. Azula looked back.

"He told me at the temple before Aang gained control of his body again. Now I know why I felt a connection to him at the temple. It also explains the connection I felt with Aang too." Azula looked out to the horizon again. "Avatar Roku is inside me and in Aang. Heh, who'd have thought that I'd be spiritually related Aang."

"I wonder if it was meant to be."

"What was meant to be?"

"Well, Aang is looking forward to you being his firebending master. With your spiritual and biological connection to Avatar Roku, he's essentially going back to his previous life to teach him." Katara explained.

"I guess…" Azula trailed off. "The problem is I'm not a master firebender. I had to remember how to firebend and figure out the motions to do what I'm doing now. And unless we can find a firebending master who is not allied with the Fire Nation, we're screwed."

The waterbender smiled at the firebender. "I think it's because of Avatar Roku that you learned how to firebend again. He might have subconsciously taught you how."

Azula pondered at the thought for a while. "Maybe."

"Hei-Bai was kind of cute. And fluffy." Katara laughed when she saw Azula blush irritably and trying hard not to smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I know. Haven't given up on it especially since I know there are a lot of readers old and new who would love to see this conclude. Still working out that balance with Navy life and personal life. Next chapter should not take as long to get out for GWWR. Wanted is a different situation since that is all original on my personal head canon for Azula post-war before the comics and Korra were ever announced.


	8. Jet

We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely." Sokka announced as he walked out of the shop.

"Uhh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Aang said happily as he took a bison shaped whistle out. He took a deep breath and blew.

Sokka instinctively plugged his ears with his index fingers only to hear nothing. "It doesn't even work." Momo chattered into Aang's ear causing the airbender to stop blowing. "See even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"Maybe it isn't Sokka. Look it's shaped like Appa. I think it's one of those whistles that only certain animals can hear." Azula pointed out.

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Katara held out her hand as Aang guiltily handed the money over.

"C'mon, let's get back to Appa." Azula said as she started walking off.

The group passed by the docks where many large ships were busy soliciting varies customers. "Keep your eyes forward and ignore them." Azula briefly told everyone as they kept on walking.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! So long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here! Don't be shy, come on by!" They all heard one barker shout to the crowd. Suddenly the barker came running up towards them.

"Just keep walking." Azula whispered enough for the others to hear.

"Oh! You there! I can see by your clothing that you're world traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" The barker addressed Aang.

"Sure! What are curios?" Aang asked. Azula glared at Aang as the whole group was stopped.

There was a pause before the barker responded. "I'm not entirely sure, but we got'em!" The barker grabbed Aang by the shoulders and bustled him onto the ship.

Azula took a deep breath and quickly let out some fire through her mouth. "The whole point was to get out of here quickly." She whispered to herself.

Everyone walked onto the ship and started looking at various items. Azula walked over to the scrolls area. She saw a symbol that she had grown to recognize very well. Carefully she looked to make sure no one was looking. Azula turned her back to the scroll as if she was waiting for her friend's to finish what they were doing.

She made sure that the merchants were still busy as she grabbed hold of the scroll and snuck it out of its place in the shelf and tucked it into her robe.

"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum, if you'd be interested in bartering." The pirate captain walked up to Aang staring at Momo.

"Momo is not for sale!" Aang defended while trying to keep Momo away from the captain.

"Waaait a minute, sea-loving traders with suspiciously acquired merchandise… and pet reptile birds. You guys are pirates!"

The barker wrapped his arms around Sokka's shoulders. "We prefer to think of ourselves as high risk traders."

"That's great. We're leaving now!" Azula urged and walked off the ship. There was no room for argument.

"What was that about Azula?" Katara asked as the rest of the group caught up with the firebender.

Azula just kept on walking faster and faster until they were out of the ship's sight. "Trust me the sooner we get out of here the better. I'd rather face the Fire Nation over a bunch of low life pirates."

"Damn it, where did those blasted kids go? We need to get that scroll back or the captain will have our heads!" Azula heard one pirate say.

"Run! Don't stop running until you get back to camp!" Everyone separated and broke out into a run.

"There they are!" One of the pirates shouted.

All of them seemed to only be chasing Azula. "Good, I can easily lose them." Azula ran fast constantly jumping on barrels and to jump from wall to wall over merchant stands to keep the pirates away from her.

She kept running until she saw a familiar cabbage cart that she saw back when they were in Omashu. There was no way to run around it. She dropped to the ground using the momentum of her running to slide underneath the cabbage cart. The firebender saw the cabbage merchant hold his breath when he recognized her.

Azula easily got up from her slide in one motion and continued running as the pirates ran into the cabbage cart. That last she heard as she exited the town was the cabbage merchant screaming, "MY CABBAGES!"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

The sun was just starting to set when everyone arrived at the camp. "What was all that about, Azula? All the snapping you're doing and the running?" Sokka asked when the firebender came into view.

"Not now Sokka we have to pack and get away from the pirates."

"But-"

"No, buts. Trust me the quicker we get out and away from here the better."

Everyone once again didn't argue with Azula as the all packed the little supplies they had and got on Appa. "C'mon Appa, yip yip!" Azula commanded just as everyone barely got in the saddle.

"Azula slow down!" Katara shouted as she grabbed hold of the firebender's shoulders. "What is wrong with you?"

"Simply getting us to safety before I tell you anything." Azula got up from her spot on Appa's head and sat on the saddle. "There was a reason they were chasing us."

"And what reason is that miss crankiness?" Sokka asked irritably.

"Because of this." Azula took out the scroll she had stolen from the ship.

"No, Azula, you didn't. Don't tell me you stole from them." Aang begged.

The firebender smirked. "I wouldn't call it stealing. I call it high risk trading."

"What is so special about that scroll that you had to steal it?" Katara asked.

"It's a waterbending scroll. I don't know what kind of forms are in the scroll. I couldn't look at them while we were in the ship." Azula explained.

"So you risked all our lives over a waterbending scroll that you don't even know if it's real?" Sokka asked now furious at the female warrior.

Azula glared at the boy. "It's a real waterbending scroll, Sokka. I know because they wouldn't have had the Waterbending insignia on it if it weren't. Those pirates most likely stole this scroll from a Waterbender in the north. Katara and Aang need this scroll to practice waterbending."

"Let me see the scroll." Katara took the scroll out of Azula's hand and unrolled it. "Wow, they have some crazy moves in here. This water whip one looks promising though."

"You can practice once we get to a source near water and away from that trading village." Azula said.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Commander Zhao, are you certain that there is a firebender helping the Avatar?" Akuzo asked Zhao as they walked through the palace courtyard.

"I am certain, Sire. It is the same firebender who help defend Kyoshi Island and the one at the Fire Temple on Crescent Island. She was wearing clothes from the Water Tribe. And always makes it a point to remind me that you overthrew Fire Lord Azulon nine years ago." Zhao reported.

Akuzo suddenly stopped. "What is your estimate for how old the girl is?"

Zhao had to think for a while. "I would have to say she would be about the same age as the Princess, Sire."

"Very well, that is all Commander, dismissed."

The commander bowed before walking off. Akuzo looked out to the courtyard and gripped the railing so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"I wonder if it's her. She was only a child when I took the throne and she escaped after I killed the prince."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Night had fallen by the time Azula had landed them in a forest filled with red and orange leaved trees.

"Wow, Azula you picked a great spot to camp." Aang complimented.

"Thanks. There's also a river for you and Katara to practice waterbending." The firebender pointed with her thumb.

"Great! Aang let's practice the water whip! Azula can you observe?" Katara asked.

"Why do you need me to observe?"

"Because you understand the waterbending forms better than me. And you're a firebender!" Azula was speechless.

"Aang don't you want Azula to help us?" Katara looked over to the airbender.

"Yes! A firebender helping us learn waterbending is amazing."

Aang and Katara grabbed each of Azula's arms and dragged the firebender to the river. Azula sighed as she sat on a near by rock and watch the two practice bending the water before attempting the water whip.

"Okay I'm ready to try it!" Katara drew some water out of the river. She shifted her weight back like the scroll did. As she shifted her motion forward Azula saw what Katara did wrong when the water whip backfired on the waterbender. "Ow!"

Sokka laughed as he piled a small campfire.

"What's so funny?" Katara asked angrily.

"Nothing. Hey, Azula can you light the fire for us?" Sokka jumped when a small fire blast almost hit him as it lit the campfire.

Katara tried to do the water whip again. She once again failed to shift her weight properly through the stances. Instead of the water hitting the imaginary opponent the water whip went the opposite direction and whipped Momo.

Momo screamed when he felt the whip hit him in his rear. He forcefully jumped into Azula's chest, knocking the firebender off the rock. "Oof!" Azula had the wind knocked out of her as the lemur gripped to her shirt like a scared child.

"Argh! Why can't I get this stupid move?" Katara shouted.

"It's because you're not shifting your weight properly." Azula pointed out as she got off the ground cradling Momo in her arms. "Aang, care to demonstrate."

Aang looked at the firebender nervously. "I'm not sure if I'm able to get it right…" The airbender looked at the scroll once more. He slowly moved through the stances and perfectly bended the water whip. "Hey, Azula's right it's all about shifting your weight through the stances! Did you see that Katara? Katara?"

Both Aang and Azula watch Katara stomp off to the edge of the woods. "What's wrong with her?" The Air Nomad asked.

"I have an idea what it is." Azula walked over to the waterbender.

Katara had her back to the camp as she sat on the ground staring up at the night sky. Azula didn't say anything. She sat down next to Katara as Momo jumped into her lap. They stayed like that for a while.

"You're upset because Aang is better than you at waterbending." It wasn't a question.

"It's not fair! I've been practicing for years and I still can't get the most basic moves down. He just started today and he mastered the moves I taught myself!" Katara brought her knees up to her chest.

"I think he's mastering waterbending so well is because he's already mastered one element. Not because he's the Avatar."

"But you're not even a master firebender yet. If you were the Avatar I'm sure you'd pick up waterbending no problem."

"I don't think I would've. Water is my natural opposite. I might be going through the waterbending motions with my fire but that doesn't mean I'd be able to bend the water. It's the opposite of your problem though. You can bend the water, but you can't control the water without the proper motion. You were going through the motion, however there were a lot of little movements you did that was throwing your bending off. A misstep, a different bent in the wrist, or not concentrating, those are your weaknesses Katara." Azula observed.

"I am concentrating though. If I wasn't I wouldn't have been able to lift the water up anyways." Katara argued.

Azula closed her eyes as she tried to find another way to approach her friend. "You're forcing the water."

Katara was about to retort, but she immediately closed her mouth when she couldn't think of a counter to what Azula had just said.

The firebender was petting Momo behind the ears. "Every time you try something new you get angry and try to force the water. Do you remember what I told you a few weeks ago. The morning on the day we went to the Southern Air Temple?"

"You told me I need to feel the water and that it was part of me like fire is to you." Katara responded.

"Have you been feeling the water?"

Katara looked at the ground while she hugged her knees. "No."

"Come on, get up." Azula stood up causing Momo to wake up and jump on her shoulder. The firebender held out her hand.

"Why?" Azula lifted Katara up.

"We're going to work on your waterbending. Just you and I." Azula walked closer to the river. "Okay, forget the water whip. Let's go back to the pushing and pulling of the water you were teaching Aang earlier. Go head and do it."

The waterbender got into position and was about to bend the water. "Oh, two more things Katara. One, you're not allowed to get angry with yourself. If I'm not angry you shouldn't be. And two, because it's night you should be able bend a lot stronger and easier than this morning."

"Okay." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Katara didn't move for a while, she was trying to listen and feel the water. Once she felt it she began to shift her weight back and forth creating the push and pull motion.

Azula smiled when she saw the water bend to the push and pull. She noticed how the bending seemed different now that Katara was concentrating and trying to become part of the water.

"Good, move on 'Streaming the Water'. Keep up the focus you have." Azula praised.

Katara opened her eyes and bended some of the water up and streamed the water around her. She felt the difference between the water streaming she did earlier and what she was doing now. She couldn't tell if it was because it was night or if it was because she was feeling the water.

"Much better Katara. Are you ready to try that giant wave?"

The waterbender took a deep breath as she gently guided the water back into the river. "I'm not sure yet. You were watching Aang and I earlier, right? So can you tell me what was the difference between what he was doing and what I was doing?"

"There was an obvious difference between you and Aang when making the wave. When you did it you were trying to force it and did not let the water flow. This is what you did."

The firebender brought her arms back and lifted it up slightly above her head. "You see how stiff I am?"

"Yes."

"Now this is what Aang did different." Azula brought her arms back again and lifted her arms as high as they could go.

"I see the difference. The second time you were more fluid and went with the motion until your body couldn't go any further."

"Correct. Aang was practically on the balls of his feet when he did it. You don't need to go that far to do the move correctly. Now go for it."

Katara took a deep breath and raised her arms like Azula demonstrated. However, the water did not come up like a wave it was a huge water bubble that burst, splashing both benders. She took a deep breath trying not to get angry at herself.

"I know what I did wrong. I didn't feel it. Let me try it again."

"I'm not going to stop you because you made a mistake. Though I do want you to control that wave. When Aang made his wave it wasn't controlled he washed our supplies down the river. If I'm correct you should be able to control the wave and decide when you want to move it."

She raised her arms again this time she felt the wave as it grew higher and higher. Katara took a step forward and pushed the wave down the river until it merged completely with the river again.

The waterbender looked over to Azula to see the firebender smiling and nodding.

"Keep practicing, Katara. I'll make dinner."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula woke with a start when she felt water splash her in the face. The one day she chose to sleep in she was awaken anyways at sunrise. She looked over to the river to see Katara still practicing varies waterbending moves.

"Katara?" Azula yawned before getting out of her sleeping bag. "Katara, were you up practicing all night?"

"Yes! Ever since I finally understood the feeling of water I can't help but feel like I'm flowing like water! I just can't stop bending."

"Ever heard of over practicing?"

"Well, yes, but look at this. This is why I couldn't sleep last night, this thought came to me when we were eating dinner."

The waterbender splashed huge volumes of water against a tree until the bark was soaked. She took a deep breath and blew on towards the water rapidly freezing it against the tree.

"Breath of Ice. That can actually come in handy."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"I don't trust him." Azula whispered to Sokka as they followed Jet and the rest of the Freedom Fighters to their hideout.

"You too, huh?"

"You're instincts might be off today, but I'm sure mine aren't. He's too smooth. That's what is making him untrustworthy. He's up to something."

"You guys are never going to let me live this down are you?" Sokka groaned.

"Never." Azula chuckled.

"We're here." Jet announced.

"Where... there's nothing here!

Jet smirked. "Here hold this." Sokka grabbed hold of the loop that was handed to him.

"Why… what does this do?" Sokka screamed as he was suddenly lifted off the ground and into the trees.

"SOKKA!" Azula yelled.

"He'll be fine." Jet reassured the firebender. "Here you go, Azula."

Azula narrowed her eyes before grabbing the loop. She held on tight and braced for the tug as she was pulled off the ground. With Jet and Katara not far behind her. The firebender clenched her jaw seeing Katara fawn over Jet. She let go of the rope the moment she saw a place to land seeing a whole village in the tree tops. Not wanting to stay longer to see Katara and Jet, she went to find Sokka wherever he landed.

Aang and Momo were sliding down various zip lines throughout the village. "NICE PLACE YOU GOT!"

Azula shook her head and held her hand out to Sokka. "You okay? Suddenly getting tugged into the air was not something we were expecting, huh?"

"I don't like him." Sokka exclaimed as he let Azula help him up.

"Neither do I. We'll just have to keep our eye on him. Katara… is already fawning all over him." The firebender grumbled.

Later that night, Azula clenched her jaw throughout Jet's speech and how Katara and Aang were being too trusting over the leader of the Freedom Fighters. "I can't believe you changed your mind so quickly when Jet brought up a potential mission." Azula chastised Sokka as they walked back to the hut that they would be staying the night. "Did your instincts tell you it was a good idea?"

The warrior stopped walking as Aang and Katara kept going. "Not so much instincts in this case. If anything we might be able to get a better idea with what we're dealing with when it comes to Jet. Besides we've already well established my instincts are terrible today."

"Sokka, I would have argued with you about us leaving tonight if it was only for us to stay here the night. But it's not like I was invited to this mission tomorrow and I'm not comfortable if you went by yourself."

"Just come along then. Maybe he won't turn down the offer of extra help." Sokka scratched the back of his head. "By the way, how are you holding up? It must not be easy hearing all those things he said about the Fire Nation and staying quiet."

Azula shrugged. "It's was just about as bad as you get when talking about the Fire Nation. We've been over this numerous times. I'm a member of the Southern Water Tribe. While I might not have been born there it's still my home and where my loyalties lie. Thanks for asking though."

Sokka pulled the firebender into a one arm hug. "Well, I am still your brother at the end of the day. I've got your back just like you've got mine."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Jet, he's just an old man!" Sokka exclaimed.

"He's Fire Nation! Search him!"

"But he's not hurting anyone!" Azula argued back.

Jet turned and glared at Azula. "Have you forgotten what the Fire Nation did to your family? Remember why we fight!"

Azula's eyes widen at the mention of her family. "Who told you anything about my family? Katara? She had no right to tell you. And you have no right to try and use my family as a reason for the way you're treating this man. Not all people of the Fire Nation are evil!"

Before Jet could retort back Smellerbee announced the search being complete and the Freedom Fighters taking the old man's bag. The old man was on the ground again not attempting to stand up with Jet close to him. Jet looked back at Azula and Sokka. "It's what has to be done - now let's get outta here."

While the Freedom Fighters pushed past Sokka and Azula, the two looked back at the old man. Even though Jet called for the two, Azula helped the old man back to his feet before leaving without saying a word to him.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Azula might have been acting childish as she violently packed her things while Sokka packed his. She was furious at Aang and especially Katara how they easily sided with Jet with what happened today.

"I can't believe you two! We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down the forest!" Katara yelled as she entered their hut.

"I can't believe how you two can be so trusting of Jet! How can you believe him over Sokka and I? We hardly know the guy and already he has actually proven that he is untrustworthy and a slime!"

Katara crossed her arms as she continued arguing with Azula. "You know what I think? I think you and Sokka are both jealous that Jet is a better warrior and leader than both of you!"

"WHAT?!" The two exclaimed.

Sokka stood still holding onto his rolled up sleeping bag. "Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instincts-"

"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on Aang."

"Sorry Sokka."

Azula pushed Aang back before he had a chance to leave the hut. She stormed after Katara fuming more than she was before Katara started this argument. "HEY!" Katara stopped, startled from Azula's outburst, but didn't turn around. "What is your problem? With our current situation I understand why you'd be wary of Sokka's judgement, but why are you questioning mine? You're not thinking rationally whenever Jet is involved."

"I don't have a problem! You and Sokka are the only ones who has a problem. You're jealous of him. Jet has been nothing, but helpful to us since we met him. Besides no one good ever came from the Fire Nation and can never be trusted!" Katara immediately regretted what she said and covered her mouth. She turned to see Azula physically shaking to keep her anger in check as she crossed her arms.

"'No on good ever came from the Fire Nation', well excuse me, but I can name an entire ship crew and at least three other Fire Nation citizens who are good people. And I guess you forgot that little detail about me. By the way, how dare you tell Jet about my family! You had no right to tell him without my permission! He tried using them to rationalize his reasoning to attack that hold man WHO DID NOT have a knife on him!"

"Azula, I'm sorry. I-"

"Save it! And yes, I am jealous of Jet. But not because you think he's a better warrior or leader. I know I can take him down in a fight with no problem. I'm jealous of you constantly flirting with that slime! It's infuriating!" Azula's eyes widen realizing what she just said.

"What?" Katara asked quietly. Not sure if she heard correctly.

"I… forget it! Have fun with your sleaze tomorrow. Don't come crying to me when it turns out Sokka and I were right about him."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"Jet… I'm sorry about how Sokka and Azula have been acting." Katara apologized causing Azula to roll her eyes as she trailed behind Jet, Aang, and Katara.

"No worries. Sokka already apologized."

Aang, Katara, and Azula stopped. "Really?" Aang asked before looking at Katara. "Sokka apologized?"

Jet shrugged. "Yeah, I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something."

"Yeah, I did."

The three continued walking. "I guess something you said got through to him. Anyhow, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee."

"I'm glad he cooled off. He's so stubborn sometimes." Katara glared back at Azula. "If only someone else you listen to me and not be as stubborn."

The firebender returned the glare and didn't continue following the trio. Something was off. There was no way Sokka would apologize to Jet, that Azula knew she could trust her instincts on. She was worried with Sokka not being at the hut when they woke up and Jet returned. That was the only reason she joined the trio ahead of her to keep an eye on Jet. Quietly Azula snuck away from the trio and ran through the forest trying to find Sokka. She heard some traps go off and ran into Sokka.

"Sokka!"

"Azula!"

"What happened?"

"I followed Jet last night and his group. They caught me and had me go for 'a long walk'. Azula, they're planning on blowing up the dam with that blasting jelly they obtained from the Fire Nation!" Azula punched Sokka in the shoulder. "OW! What was that for?"

"That was for going off without me last night! I could have had your back. Now come on we have to stop them from blowing up the dam."

Sokka grabbed Azula's arm to stop her from running. "No, we have to warn the village. We won't be able to stop them in time. It'll be best to save the people, they can always rebuild their home."

Azula paused and looked at Sokka. "Is that what your instincts are telling you?"

"C'mon! This is not the time to-"

"Do it. There are two of us. You go warn the villagers. I'm going to go stop Jet. I've been wanting to fight him these last couple of days."

The two nodded at each other in understanding before running their separate ways. When Azula finally caught up to where Katara, Aang, and Jet were Katara had already frozen Jet to the tree.

"Why, Jet? I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me… you're sick and I trusted you!"

Suddenly a signal birdcall was heard coming from the valley way. Azula saw Jet perk his lips getting ready to signal back. Before he could a big fireball barely flew past his face.

The Freedom Fighter froze when he saw the fire. Everyone looked over to see Azula still in her fighting stance.

"Fire. You're a firebender?" Jet questioned in disbelief. "Katara, she's a firebender."

"Oh give it a rest Jet. You're an idiot. I've known Katara and Sokka since we were children they know I'm a firebender. You were just too stupid to realize I was one, especially since you've been attacking people of the Fire Nation." Azula told off.

Jet struggled against the ice. "I trusted you!"

"Like Katara trusted you!" Azula argued. "You don't even deserve to live with what you've been doing."

"Good ahead and do it. You'll just prove that people of the Fire Nation only kill the innocents." Jet said smugly.

Azula looked at him hard. "You're wrong. Anyone is capable of killing the innocents, not just the Fire Nation. You were about to kill innocent people in that Earth Kingdom village that is occupied by Fire Nation colonials. If we ever cross paths with you again you better stay away from us, you don't want to know what I'll do to you if you don't."

"Heh, you talk big but you're words are empty. Your family must have destroyed countless lives. I bet your family is the one who started this war!"

The firebender snapped. She shot a fireball to the ground near Jet's feet surrounding the tree he was pinned to, Azula kept control of the fire not wanting to cause another forest fire.

Jet shivered as much as he could in the ice in fear. The last time he was this close to fire was when his village was burnt and his parents died. Because of the incident he was arsonphobic.

"My family is dead. The Fire Nation has destroyed my life too by murdering my family. I don't know if my family did start the war or not, but even the family of the Fire Lord suffers. Everyone suffers." Azula's anger was starting to get the best of her as the ice around Jet started to melt.

"But if it wasn't for the Fire Nation I would have never had the chance to live in the Southern Water Tribe. I would have never been able to meet all the friends I made. I would have never met Katara." Azula whispered the last part to herself.

Azula raised her eyes a bit when she thought she saw a spark of blue in her fire. It was only for a split second since her fire still burned it's natural color. The firebender took a deep breath as she dispersed her flames.

When her flames vanished, Jet dropped to his knees. He was breathing deeply trying to get control of himself again.

"Why? Why didn't you kill me?"

"I'm not like you, Jet. No matter how furious I am at you for hurting Katara, for lying to us, and all the other things you did to us… I'd be no different than the other firebenders if I did kill you." Azula explained.

Jet looked over towards the valley. He didn't want the Fire Nation villagers to live. The Freedom Fighter Leader did what came to his mind. He whistled the signal. He had just finished the signal Azula had tackled him and began hitting him across the face.

"Azula! Azula, stop! Stop!" Aang shouted as he pulled the firebender off.

The blasting jelly had just exploded and water rushed down to the valley. The firebender tossed a fireball to the ground near Jet and had it surround the boy.

"Don't worry." Azula broke out of Aang's grip. "I'm not going to kill him. I'm keeping the fire under control. Jet is afraid of fire. This will keep him quiet."

"Azula enough." Sokka and Appa had just landed on top of the cliff. "Jet isn't going to be hurting anyone else. The villagers are safe."

The female warrior dropped her hand and her flames vanished. She turned away and walked over towards the sky bison.

Once everyone was in the saddle they took off away from the forest. "Azula, Jet doesn't look like he's waking up." Aang pointed out as they flew away.

"He's unconscious. You would be too if your greatest fear wouldn't go away." Azula quickly explained.

As they flew over the dam, they saw a lot of the Freedom Fighters being arrested by the Fire Nation and on the other side of the now big river where the Fire Nation colonialists were standing, safe.

"Azula…" Katara started as she placed a hand on the firebender's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine." The firebender shrugged the waterbender's hand off. "Not like it should be any of your concern anyways since no one from the Fire Nation is good or trustworthy."

Katara looked away from Azula hurt at the other girl's words, but knows she deserved them after their argument yesterday.

"By the way Sokka, I thought you would go to the dam. Why did you go to the town?" Aang asked.

"Lemme guess." Katara said. "Your instincts told you."

"Hey, sometimes they're right."

"Sokka, you do realize you're currently leading us south right?" Azula asked.

The warrior tensed a little when he realized he was wrong, but he quickly recovered. "And sometimes they're wrong." He pulled on the reins directing Appa to go the opposite direction.

Everyone laughed. Katara looked at Azula, whose back was to her, and let her mind wander as she was left confused about what she was currently feeling when she thought of how the firebender was jealous of Katara flirting with Jet. Some reason she was happy that Azula was jealous and saddened that the firebender is unwilling to talk to her. She could understand what she was feeling meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 5th Anniversary GWWR (from original post date on FF.Net).


End file.
